KEYWORDS

amino acids--- organic building blocks that together make up proteins and into which proteins can be broken down. “Essential amino acid” content determines the quality of a protein. The sequence of amino acids in a protein and hence protein function are determined by the genetic code. antibody--- disease-fighting substance produced by the body in response to the presence of an antigen. enterolith (intestinal stone)---abnormal concretion that forms in the intestine; usually comprised of mineral salts, enteroliths resemble rounded stones. epiploic foramen entrapment (EFE) ---a type of colic that occurs when a section of the small intestine is drawn into the space between the liver and the pancreas, where it becomes strangulated. equine asthma--- respiratory disease, usually of older horses, induced by exposure to dusts typically found in stables. The disease is recurrent, depending on environmental exposure. Formerly called recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) by veterinarians, and commonly known to horseowners as “heaves.” 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.

Galvayne’s groove--- stained longitudinal furrow that appears on the upper corner incisor, just below the gum, when a horse is about 10 years old. Lengthens down the tooth with age, reaching mid-incisor at about age 15 and the bottom of the tooth at about age 20, when it also begins to recede from the top. By about age 25, the groove will have disappeared to mid-incisor; it may be gone entirely by the time a horse is 30. large colon--- section of the large intestine which, together with the cecum, is the site of cellulose digestion and absorption. Lies between the cecum and small colon, and measures 8 to 18 inches in diameter and 10 to 12 feet long in the horse. neutrophil--- type of white blood cell that fights acute bacterial infections and is the main constituent of pus. pinworm ( Oxyuris equi, seatworm)--roundworm parasite residing in the horse’s rectum, causing severe itching and tail rubbing. purpura hemorrhagica--- acute, noncontagious disease of horses and people, characterized by edema, muscle soreness and inflammation of mucous membranes. Thought to be an allergic-hypersensitivity reaction to bacterial antigens circulating in the bloodstream. 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. suspensory ligament--- strip of fibrous tissue running from the back of the upper cannon bone over the fetlock joint to the pastern bones. Provides major support for the fetlock joint, preventing it from sinking to the ground. titer--- measurement of the concentration of an antibody in blood serum or other solution. “High titer” refers to blood serum containing high antibody levels. ultrasound--- high-frequency sound waves, above the range of human hearing. Ultrasound is used diagnostically, to image body structures, and therapeutically, to break down unwanted tissue and promote healing by stimulating circulation. uveitis--- inflammation of the pigmented structures within the eyeball. volvolus--- twisting of the bowels. white line disease--- bacterial and/or fungal infection of the stratum medium, the middle layer of the hoof wall. Characterized by a widened, depressed area with a powdery texture along the white line, where the hoof wall meets the sole.