Dog · Muscle · Thorax
Deep pectoral muscle
Musculus pectoralis profundus
Retracts the free limb; with the paw planted it draws the trunk forward. Also adducts the limb.
- System
- Muscle
- Region
- Thorax
- Sides
- Paired: left and right
- Named parts
- 1
Where it runs from and to
A muscle is told apart from its neighbours by what it takes hold of at each end, which is also what decides what it does when it shortens.
- Origin
- Springs from the ventral sternebrae along much of the sternum and from nearby deep abdominal fascia.
- Insertion
- Humerus, mainly at its lesser tubercle, sending a smaller slip toward the greater tubercle.
- Action
- Retracts the free limb; with the paw planted it draws the trunk forward. Also adducts the limb.
- Nerve
- Caudal pectoral nerves of the brachial plexus.
Written for Vetomica in its own words from the standard reference anatomy of the dog; the books it was checked against are listed below.
Named parts
The parts of this muscle the books name separately, and what each is called in the Nomina Anatomica Veterinaria.
- Abdominal partPars abdominalis
- The caudal part of the muscle, reaching back onto the abdominal wall rather than the sternum.Miller 2020, p. 555
What it works on
Largest pectoral in the dog; caudal and deep to the superficial pectorals.
Bones it takes hold of
- Sternebrae
- Xiphoid process
- Costal cartilages
- Humerus
Muscles and ligaments it works with
- Superficial pectorals
- Transverse pectoral muscle
- Latissimus dorsi
- Rectus abdominis muscle
- Biceps muscle of the arm
- Cutaneus trunci
Terminology
- English
- Deep pectoral muscle
- Latin (NAV)
- Musculus pectoralis profundus
- Status
- A valid term in the Nomina Anatomica Veterinaria
References
Where to read this structure in full, and where the named parts above were read.
- NAV 2017Myologia: musculi colli, trunci et membri thoracici (extrinsic muscles of the thoracic limb)
- Miller's Anatomy of the Dog, 5th ed.The Muscular System: muscles of the thoracic limb (extrinsic)
- König & LiebichMuscles of the thoracic limb
- Dyce, Sack & WensingThe forelimb of the carnivores
- Miller 2020 (book pass)ch. 6 The Muscular System, PDF p. 555