Lesson of the Week #3.

I know it's been a while, please forgive me.

Tomorrow we have what I feel is the biggest exam thus far (anatomy). There is both a lecture and lab portion (all of you vets out there can just skip over this part, you've been there/done that):

Lecture
cranial nerves
spinal nerves
male and female reproductive systems (functions, organs, innervations, blood supply, etc)
urinary system (functions, organs, innervations, blood supply, etc)
plus 10 questions reviewing all previous material
Lab
pelvic limb (all muscles, blood supply, nerves, lymphatics, and bones)
spinal cord/nerves/muscles
neck (all muscles, blood supply, nerves, lymphatics, and bones)
face (all muscles, blood supply, nerves, lymphatics, and bones)
skull (all bones, holes, etc.)

Why am I telling you all this during my lesson of the week? Well, because during review last week in lab Dr. Horowitz was going through the muscles along the spine and he told us about a nifty little muscle tucked in there who's job it is to lift the tail. Of course, that muscle won't be on our exam. And inevitably, that was the first muscle I memorized.

Sacrocaudalis dorsalis lateralis.

It just rolls off the tongue so easily. Very fun.

The second muscle I memorized, also NOT on the exam:

Levator labii superioris muscle.

That one is nicknamed "The Elvis Muscle", given that Elvis used it to make his funny face. I think it should be the "F-ing Chow Tried To Bite My Face" muscle.

So that's it folks, enjoy your new-found knowledge of canine anatomy and I'll talk to you later if I haven't drowned myself in formalin first.

Toodles!