Equine unit2 exam

e.g long bones

Limbs

short bones e.g

knee and hock bones

flat bones e.g

scapula, skull, ribs

irregular bones e.g

vertebrae

joints

are where two bones meet (Joints bear weight and determine movement)

1/3 Synovial joint - freely moveable joint

hip or fetlock

•Ligaments attach the two bones together.

The joint is enclosed by a capsule. 

•The joint surface is covered with smooth articular cartilage.

•The joint contains a small amount of lubricating fluid, called synovial fluid.

•This fluid is produced by the synovial membrane lining the joint.

2/3 Cartilaginous - Partially moveable joints

spinal column

They are cartilaginous joints - bones held by cartilage, with no joint cavity 

•The articulating bones are held together tightly, allowing little movement.

3/3 Fibrous joints - immovable

skull

immovable joints have no movement at all.

•bones held by fibrous connective tissue, with no joint cavity (e.g. the skull). 

•Only the adult horses have immovable joints. The joints are not fused in foals to allow for their birth and growing.

•These joints are in the pelvis and the skull.

movement

Bones and joints allow the body to move

•Ligaments hold the joints together 

•while muscles and tendons move the body

•The skeleton provides attachment point for the soft tissue

tendons + 2 types

muscle to bone, allow movement.

FLEXOR - back side of leg and allow forward movement.

EXTENSOR - front surface and allow leg to extend forward.

>main one is the common digital extensor tendon and runs the entire length of leg and attaches into the coffin bone.

Ligaments

Strong bands of fibrous tissue that connects bone to bone •Most important - Suspensory Ligament

- supports the fetlock joint

- prevents it from dropping too far when   the leg is bearing weight.

•Damaged ligaments are difficult to heal due to poor blood supply.

•Ligaments ensure the bones stay together and aligned during movement

•Support and stabilise the joints

5 types of ligaments

Nuchal Ligament 

•Attaches top of skull to withers

Annular ligaments

•Bands around the fetlock to keep flexor tendons stable

Check Ligament

•Attaches the deep flexor tendon to the cannon bone

•The only ligament that attaches tendons to bone

Plantar Ligament

•Connects cannon and splint bone to hock bones

Suspensory Ligaments

•Supports the fetlock joint

tendons

attach muscle to bone

They consist of a sheet, cord or band of strong white fibrous tissue with poor blood supply.

•Bowed tendons are inflammation of the superficial tendons. This causes lameness and the tendons are sensitive and painful. 

muscles + filaments

work by contracting and relaxing

•Actin (thin)

•Myosin (thick)

central nervous system

 lies within protective bones – the brain inside the skull, spinal cord inside the vertebrae.

peripheral system

Peripheral System comprises the nerves that carry the signals to and from the brain

3 layers of skin

•Epidermis (outermost)

•Dermis (middle)

•Hypodermis (bottom)

normal respiration rate

8-14 breaths per min

respiratory system order

nostrils, nasal passages, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchioles, alveoli

arteries

carry blood from heart, carry oxygenated blood,

capillaries

allow transfer of nutrients in and waste out, exhanges’s of oxygen for co2.

veins

carry blood to the heart, carries deoxygenated blood to the heart.

functions of lymphatic system

Recycle tissue fluids

•Defends the body against disease

•Transports fats

What's in the lymphatic system?

•Lymph nodes - involved in fighting disease 

•Lymph vessels – collect fluid

•Spleen – filter blood and store of red blood cells

•Thymus – produced lymphocyte T cells 

•Lymph - clear fluid carrying water, nutrients, white blood cells and waste material between the body tissues and the bloodstream

male reproductive system

female reproductive system

hypothalamus

glands

body temp

37-38deg

heart rate

28-48 bpm

respiration rate

8-15 bpm

capillary refil

1-2 secs