Transcript May 2005: Guide to the Horse's Gut

University of Tennessee
College of Veterinary
Medicine – Horse Owner
Seminar 1-22-05
Benjamin R Buchanan, DVM
Resident Large Animal Internal Medicine
Resident Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care
Guide to the
Equine Gut
Normal Equine
Gastrointestinal Anatomy
Divisions
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Oral Cavity
Esophagus
Small Intestine
 Proximal
 Mid
 Distal
Cecum
Large Colon
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Transverse Colon
Small Colon
Rectum
Oral Cavity
Oral Cavity
Oral Cavity
Oral Cavity
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
Pharynx and Guttural
Pouch
Pharynx
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Epiglottis
Arytenoids
Opening to Esophagus
GP

Nerves control swalloing
Esophagus
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Connects oral cavity to stomach
Valve where it travels from thorax into stomach
Swallowing unconsciously controlled
Covered by squamous tissue
Mesentery
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Long sheet of tissue
Connects intestines to
body wall
Carries blood vessels and
nerves
Stomach
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Covered by two types of
tissue
Squamous tissue
Mucosal tissue
Anchored in the cranial
left abdomen
Digestion of food
material
Small Intestine

Proximal
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Duodenum
Connection for liver and
pancreas
Digestion of food
material
Short mesentery
Mid
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Jejunum
Digestion and absorption
Long mesentery
Small Intestine

Distal
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Ileum
Controls rate of flow into
cecum/colon
Tape worms
Short mesentery
Cecum
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Appendix
Fermentation and fiber digestion
Base and apex
8-10 gallons fluid and gas
Anchored at base by mesentery
Large Colon

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Modification of ascending colon
Travels from right flank to liver to left flank
back to liver back to right flank
Anchored on right by short mesentery, free on
left
Ferementation and fiber digestion
Transverse Colon


Short connection of
large colon to small
colon
Short mesentery
Small Colon
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Descending colon
Water reabsorption
Fecal storage
Long mesentery
Rectum
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Abdominal and extraabdominal
Short mesentary
Fecal storage
Route for abdominal palpation
Glass Horse
Questions