1. The liver is the largest organ in the abdominal cavity and is divided into lobes.
2. Find the large opening located beneath the gallbladder that leads downward and first, the bile duct, which connects the gallbladder to the duodenum of the small intestine.
3. Locate the diaphragm which lies above the liver and separates the abdominal cavity from the thoracic cavity.
4. The lungs are located on either side of the heart in the thoracic cavity. Are the lungs superior (above) or inferior (below) to the diaphragm?
5. The lungs connect to the trachea, or the airway. Is the esophagus (the pipe it is right next to) anterior (in front of) or posterior (behind) to the trachea? We will normally find a substance called air, or light, which is why it’s seen here as “missing bits”.
6. What do you think will happen to the lungs if we inflate them (to blow air into them)? (Your instructor may demonstrate this for you)
7. Locate the point at which the esophagus enters the stomach. Wiggling your stomach can help you find this esophageal junction. Does it open upward or is it visible only from the trachea?
Describe the appearance of the diaphragm. Is the body system it belongs to?
Describe the difference between the esophagus and the stomach.
What happens when air is blown into the trachea?
Label the diagrams.
- Labeled a photo of your cat with the liver, gallbladder, diaphragm, mesentery, stomach and spleen pointed and labeled
- Labeled a photo of the trachea and esophagus, pointed and labeled
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of cat dissection worksheet.
