Guttural Pouch Anatomy

Due to the general inaccessibility of the pouches in horses they can be an area of infection by fungi and bacteria and these infections can be extremely severe and hard to treat.

Guttural pouch anatomy.

1 they are found in perissodactyls such as equids tapirs some species of rhinoceros except for the white rhinoceros some bats a south american forest mouse and hyraxes. On the floor of the pouch find the retropharyngeal lymph nodes and look for signs of strangles abscesses. This communication with the throat allows the important nerves and arteries to come into contact with potential pathogens in the form of bacteria and fungi. The significance of the guttural pouch lies in the fact that it is a hollow air filled structure that communicates with the throat every time the horse swallows.

They are paired bilaterally just below the ears behind the skull and connect to the nasopharynx. The guttural pouch is a unique structure found in horses and only a few other species. There are two guttural pouches one on each side that are located just below the ear in the throatlatch region figure 1. The guttural pouches have important anatomical relationships with other neighboring structures particularly the retropharyngeal lymph node vascular and nervous elements.

Empyema of guttural pouch horse radiograph courtesy of dr. It is an extension of the eustachian tube which is an air filled canal that connects the throat to the middle ear. Adjacent to the thin lining of the guttural pouch note the thin stylohyoid bone that divides the pouch into a small lateral compartment and a larger medial compartment. Guttural pouches are of interest to both veterinarians and horse owners as they contain a number of important structures.

They are present in odd toed mammals some bats hyraxes and the american forest mouse. Guttural pouch empyema in horses. Arteries such as the internal carotid artery and several cranial nerves. Endoscopic anatomy of a normal guttural pouch.

Clinically relevant anatomy and basic treatment options for trauma. Palm beach equine clinic wellington florida usa. The infection usually develops subsequent to a bacterial primarily streptococcus spp infection of the upper respiratory tract. Guttural pouches are large auditory tube diverticula that contain between 300 and 600 ml of air.

The equine guttural pouch. Guttural pouch empyema is defined as the accumulation of purulent septic exudate in the guttural pouch. The condition guttural pouch tympa. The guttural pouch is a structure found only in equine species.