Guttural Pouch Horse

A genetic basis of disease has been identified in arabian and german warmblood breeds.

Guttural pouch horse.

One of the main functions of the guttural pouch is temperature regulation. These structures are large air filled sacs positioned on either side of the neck below the ear of the horse. The condition occurs in young horses from birth to 1 year of age and is more common in fillies than in colts. These structures are large air filled sacs positioned on either side of the neck below the ear of the horse.

The condition guttural pouch tympany affects several breeds including the arabian horse. They are positioned beneath the ear and each guttural pouch cavity in an adult horse can hold as much as a coffee mug. Guttural pouch tympany is seen in horses ranging from birth to 1 yr of age and is more common in fillies than in colts. They are sacs of air that expand from the eustachian tube with one on each side of the horse s head.

What is the guttural pouch. The guttural pouch is also the site of infection in equine strangles. The guttural pouches are unique to a small number of animal species including the horse. The guttural pouches are structures that are unique to few species of animals.

Each pouch has a volume of 300 500 ml and communicates with the nasopharynx through the pharyngeal opening of the auditory tube. They are lined with a thin membrane which separates them from nerves and and arteries. Guttural pouch mycosis is a fungal infection that affects horses. Guttural pouch tympany in horses guttural pouch tympany occurs when the guttural pouch becomes abnormally filled with air causing nonpainful swelling just behind the jaw.

The guttural pouch or diverticulum of the auditory tube is unique to the horse and other perissodactyla. Infection of the guttural pouch can be serious even life threatening. In a horse the guttural pouches extend from the inner surface of each eardrum to the sides of pharynx which is the opening in the back of the horse s mouth where nasal passages and the oral cavity join before separating into the trachea and the esophagus. Fortunately this type of equine infection is rare but all horse owners should know the symptoms.

Guttural pouch mycosis gpm is a potentially life threatening disease that may initially present as a simple nosebleed epistaxis or even poor performance in an equine athlete. The condition predisposes young horses to infection often including severe swelling and often requires surgery to correct.