The physical structure of the body. Understanding the words used to express positioning on a dog’s body helps a great deal in understanding veterinary lingo. For the directions below, the dog is standing in the center of a room with his head facing the north wall. # On the body:

1. Dorsal toward the ceiling or back
2. Ventral toward the floor or belly
3. Cranial, or anterior toward the north wall or head
4. Caudal, or posterior toward the south wall or butt
5. Lateral toward the east or west wall or side
6. Medial toward the midline, away from the east or west walls

1. On the limbs:
1. Proximal toward the body
2. Distal away from the body
3. Palmar the front foot pads
4. Plantar the rear foot pads

2. Movement:
1. Flexion decreasing a joint’s angle
2. Extension increasing a joint’s angle.