Liver of the Horse
The liver of the horse is situated obliquely in the cranial abdomen in contact with the diaphragm. It lies entirely within the intrathoracic part of the abdominal cavity, the greater part (about three-fifths) of it to the right of the median plane.
The parietal surface (diaphragmatic surface) is convex and in contact with the abdominal surface of the diaphragm. It presents a sagittal groove (fossa venae cavae) for the posterior vena cava.
The visceral surface is concave and irregular. The hepatic porta (portal fissure) is a depression above the middle of the surface , where the portal vein, hepatic artery, and hepatic nerves enter, and the hepatic duct and lymph vessels leave the liver. The contact of the abdominal viscera with the visceral surface of the liver present the following impressions on the embalmed liver (hardened state): 1. gastric impression in contact with the stomach, 2. duodenal impression in contact with the duodenum, 3. colic impression in contact with the diaphragmatic flexure, and 4. cecal impression (if present) in contact with the anterior part of the base of the cecum
The dorsal border presents the right triangular ligament and the left triangular ligament on its right and left ends respectively. Between the two ligaments and from right to left, the dorsal border presents the following; the renal impression (which contacts the right kidney), the dorsal end of the fossa venae cavae, and the esophageal notch.
There is no gall bladder associated with the liver of the horse, hence there is no cystic duct.
The left lobe is divided into medial and lateral parts.
There is no papillary process, and the caudate lobe consists only of a caudate process.