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anatomy guide

Dog integumentary system — skin and coat anatomy overview

Overview of canine skin, hair coat, footpads, and claws — the barrier organ that protects the body and helps regulate temperature.
General educational reference only — not clinical or veterinary advice. Anatomy varies between individual animals; consult a licensed veterinarian for any health concern.

Skin layers

The skin has an outer epidermis and a deeper dermis resting on a subcutaneous fat layer. It forms a protective barrier against water loss, microbes, and physical injury. The skin is also a sensory organ, rich in nerve endings for touch, pressure, and temperature.

Hair coat and glands

Most dogs have a coat made up of primary guard hairs and finer secondary hairs, with wide variation between breeds. Hair grows from follicles associated with sebaceous (oil) glands that condition the coat. Seasonal shedding cycles are common and influenced by daylight and temperature.

Footpads and claws

Thick, cornified footpads cushion the feet and provide traction and insulation. Claws grow continuously from a nail bed and contain a living core called the quick. Dogs have specialized scent and sweat glands concentrated in the footpads.

Sources

More Dog anatomy

Digestive systemSkeletal systemCardiovascular systemRespiratory systemUrinary systemNervous systemDental anatomy

Other species

Cat digestive system — anatomy overviewCat skeletal system — anatomy overviewCat cardiovascular system — anatomy overviewCat respiratory system — anatomy overviewCat urinary system — anatomy overviewCat integumentary system — skin and coat anatomy overviewCat dental anatomy — teeth overviewRabbit digestive system — hindgut fermentation and cecotrophyRabbit dental anatomy — continuously growing (elodont) teethRabbit skeletal system — lightweight bones and a fragile spineFerret digestive system — short-gut obligate carnivoreFerret respiratory system — anatomy overviewGuinea pig digestive system — hindgut fermenter with vitamin-C dependenceGuinea pig dental anatomy — open-rooted, continuously growing teethParrot respiratory system — air sacs and flow-through lungsParrot digestive system — crop, gizzard, and cloacaParrot skeletal system — pneumatic bones and a flight frameBearded dragon digestive system — anatomy overviewBearded dragon skeletal system — anatomy overviewBearded dragon thermoregulation — ectothermy and skinSnake digestive system — a highly distensible carnivore gutSnake skeletal system — vertebrae and ribsTortoise skeletal system — carapace, plastron, and fused ribsTortoise digestive system — beak, gut, and hindgut fermentationBearded dragon respiratory system — glottis, trachea, and faveolar lungsParrot urinary system — avian kidneys, ureters, and uric acidLeopard gecko digestive system — an insectivore's gutParrot cardiovascular system — avian heart and circulationTurtle skeletal system — shell, girdles, and neck retractionBearded dragon dental anatomy — acrodont and pleurodont teethSnake respiratory system — glottis, tracheal lung, and one functional lungLeopard gecko skeletal system — limbs and tail autotomyAxolotl respiratory system — external gills, lungs, and skinHorse digestive system — hindgut fermenter with a large colonSnake integumentary system — scales, ecdysis, and the spectacleTortoise respiratory system — breathing inside a rigid shellBetta respiratory system — gills and the labyrinth organGoldfish digestive system — pharyngeal teeth and no true stomachGoldfish respiratory system — gill arches, lamellae, and countercurrent exchangeParrot integumentary system — feathers, tracts, and the preen glandSnake cardiovascular system — a three-chambered heart along the bodyLeopard gecko integumentary system — skin, shedding, and toes without padsChinchilla dental anatomy — elodont teeth and continuous eruptionChinchilla digestive system — a sacculated cecum and an exceptionally long colonAfrican pygmy hedgehog integumentary system — spines, mantle, and the orbicularis muscleRat dental anatomy — continuously growing incisors and rooted molars

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