posture

posture /pos·ture/ (pos´choor) the attitude of the body.pos´tural

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pos·ture (pschr)

n.

1. A position of the body or of body parts.

2. A characteristic or prescribed way of bearing one's body; carriage.

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posture,

n body mass distribution in relation to the force of gravity.

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posture

an attitude of the body. Good posture cannot be defined by any rigid formula. It is usually considered to be the natural and comfortable bearing of the body in normal, healthy animals. This generally means that in a standing position the body is naturally, but not rigidly, straight with the four legs evenly placed below the body, the back straight and the head held up so that the eyes look directly ahead. The position of the ears varies with the mental state of the animal. Continuous or frequent departure from this norm may indicate the need to look further for overt signs of disease.

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posture abnormality

includes sternal or lateral recumbency, head deviation or rotation, head-pressing, dog-sitting, arched back.

kangaroo posture

one which mimics the characteristic pose of kangaroos, sitting upright on the hindquarters with front legs held against the chest. Adopted by some cats affected by the spinal exostoses of hypervitaminosis A.

praying posture

one in which the forequarters are close to the ground while the hindquarters are elevated by extension of the hindlegs. Assumed in dogs and cats, often because of abdominal pain.

sawhorse posture

one in which the feet are placed wider apart than would normally be required to remain standing. Seen in tetanus and neurological diseases in which there are proprioceptive deficits.