GLOSSARY

Words followed by this symbol are defined here

aspiration pneumonitis--- lung inflammation due to an inhaled substance such as food, drugs or misdirected mineral oil administered to treat constipation or choke. bars--- on the bottom of a horse’s hoof, the continuations of the horny wall running forward from the heels between the sole and frog; also refers to open spaces on the jaw between the incisors and cheek teeth. bar shoe--- horseshoe with no opening between the heels; forms a continuous circle; used to extend the base of support to the rear of the heels. biotin--- water-soluble vitamin of the B complex. bolus--- a large pill or a single mass of oral medication administered all at once. buttress--- thickened angle at the heel of a horse’s hoof wall. clubfoot--- abnormally upright foot with a high heel and short toe, resulting from inability to straighten the coffin joint. 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. curvature of Spee--- natural, slight arc in the occlusal (chewing) surface of the molars. digital radiography (digital x-rays)---imaging method for internal structures, primarily bone and other hard tissues, produced when x-rays or gamma rays pass through the body and are captured on sensor plates that transmit the data to a computer. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)---large organic molecule that consists of two chains of nucleotides wound around each other; the material of which genes are made. Genes are responsible for the individual inherited characteristics of living organisms. equine metabolic syndrome (EMS)---endocrine disorder characterized by increased fat deposits in specific locations of the body or overall obesity; insulin resistance, which leads to abnormally high levels of the hormone circulating in the bloodstream; and a predisposition toward laminitis in the absence of other recognized causes. 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. frog--- wedge-shaped, soft horn structure in the rear of the underside of the hoof. insulin resistance--- metabolic disorder, similar to type-2 diabetes, that occurs when certain cells in the body become less sensitive to the action of insulin, and normal amounts of the hormone can no longer keep adequate amounts of glucose moving into the cells for use as fuel. laminae--- alternating “leaves” of flesh and hoof horn that bond 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 physiologic 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. mange--- contagious skin disease caused by various types of mites. mastitis--- inflammation of the udder. nasogastric tube--- flexible tube inserted into the nostrils and passed into the stomach to introduce or drain fluid (reflux). nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)---drug that contains no steroids and acts to reduce heat and swelling. 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. 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, also known as Cushing’s disease. vasculitis--- inflammation of the blood vessels. white line--- zone on the bottom of the horse’s hoof where the insensitive laminae and the interlaminar horn attach the wall to the margin of the sole.