Equine Circulatory System
Vet, Horse First Aid
From: Horse Anatomy | Care
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Circulatory System
This is the system that transports blood throughout the
horses body. The horses circulatory system uses the heart,
arteries, veins and capillaries to transport oxygenated blood,
nutrients, lymph and hormones to vital organs and tissues
and remove waste products such as carbon dioxide away to
the lungs.
The two main types of circulation are systemic circulation
and pulmonary circulation
Systemic Circulation -This is the flow of
oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the
horses body and then back to the heart as de
oxygenated blood that is ready for the removal of
carbon dioxide.
Pulmonary Circulation - This is the flow of de
oxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs for
removal of carbon dioxide and where the blood then
re oxygenates itself ready to go back to the heart.
The circulatory system consists of the heart, blood and
blood vessels.
The Heart
It is through the heart that oxygenated blood first arrives
and it does this via the Pulmonary Vein which comes to it
straight from the lungs. The heart itself is split up into 4
chambers, the blood first enters the heart through the
Pulmonary Vein into the Left Atrium which is the first
chamber, there is a valve called the bicuspid valve which
acts as a one way valve allowing the blood to then flow when
ready into the Left Ventricle. From here the blood exit s the
heart and travels to all the major organs and tissues
supplying them with oxygenated blood and collecting any
waste products for removal. On returning to the heart the
blood is now de oxygenated and it enters via the Aorta and
goes into the Right Atrium where there is a tricuspid valve
regulating the flow of blood into the Right Ventricle. From the
Right Ventricle the deoxygenated blood is taken to the lungs
and tissues in the horses body.
The Heart Rate
The horses heart rate beats at around 36 to 42 Beats per
minute at rest and with exercise can go up to 220 beats per
minute.
The Blood Vessels
The blood vessels are the veins, arteries and capillaries and
they are used to transport the blood around the body to and
from the heart.
Veins transport blood from the body and tissues back
to the heart.
Arteries transport blood from the heart to the body.
C apillaries join Veins and Arteries together and it is
within the thin walls of the C apillaries that the
exchange of oxygen molecules and carbon dioxide
molecules takes place. .
Arteries
These carry oxygenated blood away from the heart to all
around the body. Some examples of arteries are the Aorta
, Illiac Artery and Hepatic Artery. Smaller Arteries are called
Arterioles and these branch out to link with C apillaries where
blood exchange occurs between Arteries and veins. The
Pulmonary Artery is the exception to the rules as it carries
deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs.
Veins
These carry deoxygenated blood back to the heart. An
example would be the Vena C ava which carries blood into
the right Atrium of the heart. The smaller veins are known
as venules and these branch out to link with C apillaries
where blood exchange occurs between Arteries and veins.
Capillaries
These allow blood to flow from the Arteries to Veins via the
Arterioles and Venules
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The Blood
Blood is made up of red blood cells, white blood cells,
platelets and plasma and is required for the following
reasons:-
To transport oxygen from the lungs to the vital organs
To remove carbon dioxide from the organs and tissues
to the lungs.
To transport hormones and antibodies.
To transport Lymph fluid from tissues to blood.
To remove other waste products such as Lactic acid,
urea and dead blood cells.
To transport nutrients.
To regulate the horses temperature.
To transport white cells to the site of infection.
Red Blood Cells
These are made in the bone marrow and contain haemoglobin
which are not only rich in iron but are also the means through
which oxygen is transported around the body, the oxygen
molecules attach on to the haemoglobin and once delivered to
a tissue or organ carbon dioxide molecules then attaches
themselves to the haemoglobin within the red blood cell and
is taken away to the lungs for removal..
White Blood Cells
These are also known as leucocytes and are known for
fighting off infection. White blood cells can be put into two
main groups known as granulocytes and agranulocytes.
Granulocytes for example are Basophils which fight allergic
reactions, Neutrophils which fight off bacterial and fungal
infections and Eosinophils which fight off parasitic infections.
Agranulocytes are Lymphocytes which produce antibodies,
monocytes and macrophage cells which help to remove
foreign bodies and fight off any infection
Platelets
These are cells that are formed in the bone marrow and
circulate within the blood and help in the formation of blood
clots and controlling the blood flow. When a cut occurs it is the
contact with air that triggers off a reaction with the platelets
within the blood, the platelets quickly divide and act in
particular with the protein Fibrinogen to form Fibrin. It is the
formation of Fibrin which acts on the cut by producing a
weave of threads which cover the cut and start to form a
blood clot which will halt the flow of blood. C ontinued contact
with the air helps the Fibrin to dry and become hard to form a
scab.
Plasma
This is the fluid that the blood cells are suspended in. The fluid
also contains water, antibodies and dissolved minerals such as
calcium.
Circulatory Disorders
The circulatory system is made up of the heart, blood and
blood vessels. A disruption to any of these can cause
anything from a mild to a more serious problem, careful
consultation with your vet is always advised as they will have
up to date knowledge of the best course of action.
These are some of the disorders that can affect the
circulatory system of the horse
Exercise Induced Pulmonary Haemorrhage (
EIPH)
Arrhythmia
Anaemia
Laminitis
Bruises
Colic
Heart Failure
Bleeding from a wound