| TERM | DESCRIPTION |
| Adhesion | The sticking together of two structures that normally move freely of each other. |
| Adrenal Glands | Two small, flat organs located on the front of the kidneys that screte hormones directly into the bloodstream. |
| Agalactia | Failure of the mare to produce milk. |
| Amino Acids | Organic building blocks that together made up proteins and into which proteins can be broken down. "Essential amino acid" content determines the quality of a protein. The sequence of amino acides in a protein and hence protein fuction are determined by the genetic code. |
| Anabolic Steroid | Any of a group of similar complex compounds that stimulate development of living tissue. |
| Anterior | Situated near or toward the head. |
| Anthelmintic | Any of a various classes of drugs used to destroy internal roundworm parasites. |
| Antibody | Diease-fighting substance produced by the body in response to the presence of an antigen. |
| Antigen | Substance, often a protein, that the body's immune system recognizes as foreign and reacts to be producing an antibody. |
| Aorta | Central artery that carries blood from the heart to be distributed by branch arteries throughout the body. |
| Artery | Tubelike structure that transports exygenated blood from the heart to all parts of the body. |
| Ascarid | (Parascaris Equorum) Large intestinal roundworm, about the size of a pencil, that infects foals and young horses and may retard growth or block the intestines. |
| Banamine | Trade name of flunixin meglumine, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used to control inflammation and pain primarily associated with colic and muscle injuries. |
| Bar Shoe | Horseshoe with no opening between the heels; forms a continuous circle. |
| Blood Serum | Clear, yellowish fluid separated by clotting from the solid components of whole blood-red and white cells, platelets and fibrin. |
| Bursa | Sac or cavity filled with fluid, located at a joint or other area where friction is likely to occur. It provides lubrication between ligaments, tendons and the bones over which they run. |
| Bute | Colloquial term of phenylbutazone, an anti-inflammatory medication used in the management of joint, bone, and muscle injuries or disorders. |
| Cartilage | Specialized type of fibrous connective tissue covering bone ends at joints; also structural basis for ears, nostrils, etc. |
| Carotid Artery | Main artery running along the horse's windpipe at the underside of the neck; supplies blood to the head. |
| Cartilage | Specialized type of fibrous connective tissue covering bone ends at joints; also the structural basis for the ears and nostrils. |
| Clostridial | Pertaining to any of the 205 species of Clostridium bacteria. The toxins of various clostridial bacteria cause diseases such as tetanus, botulism, and gas gangrene. Some of the anaerobic bacteria inhabit the soil and feses. |
| Coffin Bone | (Pedal bone) Major bone within the hoof, shaped like a miniature hoof. |
| Coffin Joint | (Pedal joint) lowermost joint of the leg, located where the short pastern bone meets the coffin bone and navicular bone within the hoof. |
| Coggins Test | Laboratory blood test for the pressence of antibodies against the equine infectious anemia (EIA) virus. |
| Colic | Pain in the abdomen. |
| Collagen | Fibrous network that forms the basic framework of body tissue. |
| Collateral Cartilages | (lateral cartilages) Two cartilages inside the hoof attached to and projecting upward from the wings of the coffin bone. |
| Colostrum | Thick, extra-rich milk secreted by the pregnant mare's mammary glands as they fill, usually before the foal's birth. Colostrum contains globulins and other proteins that provide the foal with temporary immunity against infectious disease; it must be consumed by the foal within a few (max. 12) hours of birth to confer protection. |
| Corium | Tissue layer in the skin or its appendages (hoof, hair, etc) from which growth occurs; rich in blood and nerve supply. |
| Coronary Band | (Coronet) Boundary between the top of the hoof wall and the skin at the bottom of the pastern where hoof growth begins. |
| Corticosteroids | Analogs of the hormone corisol produced primarily by the adrenal glands; may be natural or synthetically produced for injection. |
| Cortisol | (Hydrocortisone) Adrenal hormone affecting fat and water metabolism, muscle tone, nerve stimulation and inflammation. |
| Cushing Disease | Disease caused when the cortex of the adrenal glad produces excessive amounts of hormones, including cortisol; signs include long hair, thin skin, fragile bones, stupor, weakness and sweating. |
| Debride | To cut away dead or damaged tissue. |
Deep Digital
Flexor Tendon | Tendon connecting the deep muscles at the back of the forearm and gaskin to the coffin bone in the foot. |
| Development Orthopedic Disease (DOD) | A general term used to describe all skeletal conditions associated with growth and development in foals, including osteochondrosis, acquired angular limb deformities, subchondral bone cysts, physitis, flexural deformities and deformities of the small bones in the knee and hock. |
| Dimethyl Sulfoxide | (DMSO) Organic chemical that has a number of medicinal properties, including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and analgesic, and is able to pass readily through the skin. |
| DNA | (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) Large organic molecule that consists of two chains of nucleotides wound around one another; the material of which genes are made. Genes are responsible for the individual inherited characteristics of living organisms. |
| Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis (EEE) | Contagious brain and spinal-cord inflammation in horses, caused by a spcific viral strain transmitted by mosquitoes. EEE is characterized by fever and/or stupor and is almost always fatal. |
| Edema | Abnormal collection of fluid (soft swelling) in body tissues. |
| Egg-bar Shoe | Horseshoe with an outwardly curved (convex) bar connecting its heels; provides support to the heel of the foot and lift to the fetlock. |
| Ehrlichia | A genus of bacterialike microorganisms that cause diseases such as Potomac horse fever. |
| Encephalomyelitis | Inflammation of the white matter in the brain and spinal cord, often caused by a virus. |
| Epinephrine | Hormone secreted by the central portion of the adrenal gland that acts primarily as a stimulant. |
| Epiphysitis | (Osteochondritis) Disturbance in the conversion of cartilage to bone in the growth plates and/or joint surfaces of the long bones of young, rapidly growing animals. |
| Equine Herpesvirus (EHV-1) | Highly contagious agent that causes brief, usually mild fever and cough in most infected horses and abortion or stillbirths in pregnant mares. |
| Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) | (Swamp Fever) Infectious disease transmitted by insects, characterized in the acute or chronic stages by intermittent fever, depression, progressive weakness, wdight loss, edema and anemia. Horses with the inapparent form show no sign of the disease. |
| Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM) | Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord caused by protozoal infection. |
Equine Recurrent
Uveitis | (Moon Blindness) Autoimmune disease that causes repeated inflammation and degeneration of the uveal tract, the blood-vessel-rich middle layer of the wall of the horse's eyeball. |
| Estrous Cycle | Reproductive cycle of a mare repeating every 18 to 21 days, featuring the maturation and release of an ovum (egg). |
| Estrus | Phase ("season") in the mare's reproductive cycle in which the egg (ovum) matures and is released into the oviduct. |
| Eustachian Tube | Slender tube between the middle ear and pharynx that equalizes air pressure on both sides of the eardrum. |
| Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH) | Bleeding through the nose due to bursting of small blood vesseal in the lungs. "Bleeding," which is usually induced by extremely vigorous exercise, is not uncommon among racehorses. |
| Fascia | Fibrous supportive tissue sheets beneath skin and between muscles. |
| Fecal Egg Count | Laboratory procedures for determining the number of internal-parasite eggs in a fecal sample; used primarily to estimate a horse's level of infection with ascarids and/or strongyles. |
| Fescue | Tufted perennial grass often grazed by horses. |
| Fibrin | Protein created during normal blood clotting which forms the structural basis of the clot. |
| Founder | Internal deformity of the foot, resulting from rotation of the coffin bone due to simultaneous detachment from the hoof wall and pull by the deep flexor tendon and gravity. |
| Founder Rings | Visible ridges and grooves resulting from disturbances of growth in the foundered foot. The grooves lie close together at the front and are widely separated at the heels. |
| Founder Stance | Typical posture of a foundered horse, who is trying to take as much weight as possible off his affected feet. For example, when the forefeet are affected, the horse will place them forward in front of his body and move his hind feet up under his body. |
| Free Oxygen Radicals | Oxygen molecule that destroys other molecules (and the larger structures they make up) by stealing electrons from their outer orbits. |
| Glucosamine | A building vlock of chondroitin sulfate, a component of cartilage, as well as hyaluronic acid, a component of synovial fluid, the thick, lubricating fluid in joint cavities and tendon sheaths. |
| Granulation | Formation of new cells from the capillaries in the base of the wound to fill the wound gap. |
| Heart-bar Shoes | A conventional shoe that has been modified to provide frog support; a long narrow triangular metal piece is welded between the shoe's heels. |
| Heaves | Forced expiratory effort in horses due to narrowing of the small airways in the lungs. |
| Hematoma | (Blood Blister) Abnormal collection of blood in body tissue resulting from blood-vessel injury. |
| Hindgut | The portion of the digestive system that includes the cecum, large colon, small colon and rectum. |
| Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis (HYPP) | Inherited muscle disorder of Quarter Horses and related stock-horse breeds that is characterized by muscle tremors, weakness and recumbency. Most cases are managed by diet and medication, but severe attacks can be fatal. |
| Influenza | Acute viral infection involving the respiratory tract, occurring in isolated cases or in epidemics, striking many continents simultaneously or in sequence. Marked by inflammation of the nasal mucosa, the pharynx, the conjuctiva, the lungs, and sometimes the heart muscle. |
| Isoxsuprine | Drug believed to improve circulation by enlarging the smaller, outlying blood vessels of the body; most commonly used in horses with navicular disease in an attempt to improve blood flow to the hoof. |
| Lactic Acid | By-Product of the breakdown of stored carbohydrates, normally present in the body in small, harmless quantities. Excessive amounts of lactic acid can occur when there is insufficient oxygen supply to the cells, especially muscle cells during strenuous exercise. |
| Laminae | Alternating "leaves" of flesh and hoof horn that bond the wall of the hoof to the underlying bone. |
| Laminar Corium | ("quick") The part of the corium that attaches the upper surface of the coffin bone to the inner surface of the hoof wall. |
| Laminar Horn | "Leaves" of hoof horn that interlock with the sensitive or fleshy laminae to bind the wall of the hoof to the underlying bone. |
| Laminitis | Inflammation of the sensitive plates of soft tissue (laminae) within the horse's foot caused by physical or physiological injury. Severe cases of laminitis may result in founder, an internal deformity of the foot. Acute laminitis sets in rapidly and usually responds to appropriate, intensive treatment, while chronic laminitis is a persistent, long-term condition that may be unresponsive to treatment. |
| Membrane | Thin layer of tissue that covers a surface, lines a cavity or divides a space or organ. |
| Mycotoxicosis | Poisoning producted by ingestion of mycotoxins. |
| Mycotoxin | Any poisonous by-product produced by certain fungi, especially molds. |
| Navicular Bone | Small, boat-shaped bone located behind the coffin joint in the hoof; maintains the angle at which the deep flexor tendon attaches to the coffin bone. |
| Neoplasia | Uncontrolled progressive proliferation of cells, as in the formation of a tumor. |
| Nerve Block | Anesthesia of a nerve to remove feeling from the body part it supplies. |
| Nerving | Neurectomy, the surgical removal of a protion of a nerve to eliminate pain reception from the body part it supplies. |
Nonsteroidal Anti-
inflammatory Drug | (NSAID) Drug that contains no steriods and acts to reduce heat and swelling. |
| Nucleotide | Any of several compounds that comprise the basic structural units of DNA (protein chains in the cell nuclei which determine hereditary characteristics) and RNA (various nucleic acids associated with the control of cellular functions). |
| Osteochondritis Dissecans | (OCS) Abnormal bone formation in a joint which deforms the joint surface and causes cartilage to separate from the underlying bone. |
| Osteochondritis | (Epiphysitis, osteochondrosis, subchondral cyst) Disturbance in the conversion of cartilage to bone in the growth plates and/or joint surfaces of the long bones of young, rapidly growing animals. |
| Osteochondrosis | (Osteochondritis, epiphysitis, subchondral cyst) Disturbance in the conversion of cartilage to bone in the growth plates and/or joint surfaces of the long bones of young, rapidly growing animals. |
| Periosteum | Fibrous membrance covering bones; produces cells responsible for bone repair and thickening. |
| Phalanges | Term referring to three bones of the horses foot: 1) long pastern bone (first phalanx), 2) short pastern bone (second phalanx), 3) coffin bone (third phalanx). |
| Pharynx | Chamber in the center of the head serving both breathing and swallowing, bounded by the nasal passages in front, the soft palate below and the larynx and esophagus behind. The pharynx serves breating except during swallowing. |
| Phenylbutazone | (Bute) Generic name for an odorless anti-inflammatory medicatiion used in the management of joint, bone and muscle injuries or disorders, as well as wound swelling. |
| Photosensitivity | Excessive reaction of unpigmented ares of the skin to sunlight, resulting in inflammation. May be provoked by allergy, drugs or liver disease. |
| Plasma | Blood liquie that contains specialized cells, such as platelets, and the proteins related to clotting. Obtained by centrifuging whole unclotted blood to settle out the other cells. |
| Platelets | Disk-shaped cell fragments responsible for coagulation of the blood. |
| Potomac Horse Fever | Disease caused by a rickettsial organism, Ehrlichia risticii. Named after the Potomac River Valley where it was first recognized in 1979, the disease is characterized by fever, diarrhea, and laminitis. |
| Protein | Large molecule composed of one or more chains of amino acids in a specific order. Proteins are required for the structure, function and regulation of the body's cells, tissues, and organs, and each protein has unique functions. Simple proteins consist of only amino acids. Conjugated proteins consist of amino acids joined to other complex molecules. Derived proteins are the products of chemical changes to other proteins. |
| Purpura Hemorrhagica | Acute, noncontagious disease of horses and people, characterized by edema, muscle soreness and inflammation of mucous membrance; thought to be an allergic-hypersensitivity reaction to bacterial anitgens circulating in the bloodstream. |
| Red Blood Cells | (Erythrocytes) Oxygen-carrying blood cells produced in bone marrow. |
| Rhinopneumonitis | Contagious disease caused by a virus of the herpes group, characterized by fever, mild repiratory infection and, in mares, abortion. This disease can trigger an "abortion storm" in broodmare bands. |
| Ringworm | Contagious fungal infection of skin cells and hair fibers. |
| Salmonella | Rod-shaped, infection-producing bacteria that cause food poisoning and gastrointestinal inflammation. |
| Scratches | Scabby and /or oozing skin inflammation on the back of the pastern above the heels; equivalent to chapped hands in people. |
| Sebaceous Glands | Skin glands whose greasy, lubricating secretion (sebum) helps to improve the condition of the coat. |
| Shock | Failure of the vital body systems, characterized by loss of blood volume and pressure, shallow breathing and rapid heartbeat. Shock is usually the direct and potentially fatal by-product of extremely serious injury, stress or illness. |
| Steriod | Artificially produced drug similar to the natural hormone that controls inflammation and regulates water balance. |
| Strangles | (Distemper) Highly contagious infection of the lymph nodes, usually of the head, caused by Streptococcus equi bacteria. The abscesses may become so large as to obstruct the airway (hence the term "strangles") and may break internally, draining a thick, yellow pus through the nose, or externally, draining through a spontaneous or surgical opening in the skin. |
| Surfactant | Substance that reduces the surface tension of a liquid to promote dispersion; sometimes added to injectable medications. |
| Synovial Fluid | (Synovia) Sticky, transparent lubricating fluid in joint cavaties and tendon sheaths; secreted by the synovial membrane. |
| Tetanus | Rigid paralytic disease caused by Clotridium tetani, an anaerobic bacterium that lives in soil and feces. |
| Thrush | Foot disease characterized by degeneration of the fron and a thick, foul-smelling discharge. |
| Titer | Measurement of the concentration of an antibody in blood serum or other solution. "High titer" refers to blood serum containing high antibody levels. |
| Torbugesic | Trade name for butorphanol tartrate, a drug with muscle relaxant and analgesic properties. |
| Tying Up | (Azoturia, Monday-morning sickness, myositis) Severe, painful cramping of large muscle masses, resulting in discoloration of the urine with the by-products of muscle destruction. Tying up often is seen in fit horses who resume heavy exercise after a few days of rest without any reduction in grain ration. |
| White Cells | (Leukocytes, white blood cells) Colorless blood cells ative in the body's defense against infection or other assault. There are five types: neutrophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils, monocytes, and basophils. |
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