GLOSSARY

Words followed by this symbol 0 are defined here

allergen--- substance that induces an allergic reaction. antibody--- disease-fighting substance produced by the body in response to the presence of an antigen. body condition score (BCS)---a designation, based on a nine-point numeric scale, indicating the amount of fat on a horse’s body. A BCS is assigned after a visual and hands-on appraisal. botulism--- food poisoning caused by the toxin secreted by Clostridium botulinum bacteria, which can contaminate feed or water; characterized by paralysis, beginning with the muscles of swallowing; usually fatal. carbohydrates--- large group of carbon-based compounds, including starches, sugars and cellulose, that are found in plants and form the largest class of animal foods. Carbohydrates, together with proteins and lipids, are principal components of cell protoplasm, the viscous fluid that fills plant and animal cells. coffin bone (pedal bone)---major bone within the hoof, shaped like a miniature hoof. colostrum--- thick, extra-rich milk secreted by the pregnant mare’s mammary glands as they fill, usually before the foal’s birth; contains globulins and other proteins that provide the foal with temporary immunity against infectious disease; must be consumed by the foal within a few (maximum 12) hours of birth to confer protection. cranial--- pertaining to or nearer to the head. deep digital flexor tendon--- tendon connecting the deep muscles at the back of the forearm and gaskin to the coffin bone in the foot. failure of passive transfer (FPT)---in newborn foals, reduced ability to fight infectious disease resulting from failure to receive protective antibodies from the mare’s colostrum. 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. gangrene--- death of tissue, usually due to loss of blood supply. glaucoma--- eye disease marked by an increase in the intraocular pressure that causes changes in the optic disk. hormone--- complex chemicals, usually produced by endocrine glands (pituitary, thyroid, pancreas, adrenals and gonads), that regulate the activity of each other and other organs. laminae--- alternating “leaves” of flesh and hoof horn that bond the wall of the hoof to the underlying bone. nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)---drug that contains no steroids and acts to reduce heat and swelling. pancreas--- mixed gland near the stomach that secretes digestive enzymes into the intestine as well as insulin into the blood. pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID, Cushing’s disease)---disease caused when the cortex of the adrenal gland produces excessive amounts of hormones, including cortisol; signs include persistent long hair, thin skin, fragile bones, stupor, weakness and sweating. 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 only of amino acids. Conjugated proteins consist of amino acids joined to other complex molecules. Derived proteins are the products of chemical changes to other proteins. recumbency--- lying-down position; a horse in sternal recumbency is resting on his chest with his front legs tucked underneath his body; a horse in lateral recumbency is lying flat. septicemia--- bacterial infection circulating throughout the bloodstream. sweet itch--- allergy to the saliva of one or more of various insects ( Culicoides, gnats, midges, no-see-ums); produces an inflammatory, itchy thickening and scabbing of the skin of the rump and/or withers, which become bare and weepy when the horse scratches. thyroid gland--- two-lobed endocrine gland in the neck that controls the rate at which basic body functions proceed. thyrotropin-releasing hormone stimulation test--- screening test that measures levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in a horse’s blood before and after the administration of synthetic thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH); used to diagnose pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction.