732 



THE NERVOUS SYSTEM OF THE DOG 



considered as the continuation of the femoral nerve.' It descends at first in front 

 of the femoral artery, then passes over the lower part of the inner surface of the 

 thigh with the saphenous artery, continues down the leg with the dorsal branch of 

 that vessel, and anastomoses with branches of the superficial peroneal nerve. It 

 supplies cutaneous twigs from the stifle to the metatarsus. 



The peroneal nerve separates from the tibial above the origin of the gastrocne- 

 mius, runs downward and forward across the outer head of that muscle, passes 

 between the deep flexor of the digit and the peroneus longus, and divides into super- 

 ficial and deep branches. The superficial peroneal nerve descends the leg along 

 the peroneus tertius and longus, gives off a dorsal branch to the first digit (N. cutan- 

 eus dorsalis medialis), and divides at the proximal part of the metatarsus into three 



Super ficia 

 peroneal nerve 



Dorsal common 

 digital nerves 



Deep pero- 

 neal nerve 



Internal plantar 

 nerve 



External 

 plantar nerve 



Fig. 549. — Nerves of Distal Part of Right Hind 



Limb of Dog, Anterior View (Schematic). 



p, Dorsal proper digital nerves. 



Fig. 550.- — Nerves of Distal Part of Right Hind 



Limb of Dog. Posterior View (Schematic). 



p, Plantar proper digital nerves. 



dorsal common digital nerves (Nn. dig. pedis dors. comm. II, III, IV). These 

 descend with the superficial dorsal metatarsal arteries and concur with branches 

 of th(> d(H^p peroneal nerve in forming dorsal proper digital nerves (Nn. dig. ped. 

 prop, dorsalcs). The deep peroneal nerve passes down the leg with the anterior 

 tibial vessels. It gives twigs to the hock joint and the extensor brevis muscle, 

 and divides into three dorsal metatarsal nerves (Nn. met. dors. II, III, IV); 

 these descend with the corrc^sjionding artcri(>s along the intermetatarsal spaces 

 and unite with the dorsal common digital nerves in supplying the dorsal proper 

 digital nerves. 



The tibial nerve divides at the tarsus into two plantar branches. The internal 

 plantar nerve descends along the inner border of the superficial flexor tendon and 



