Guttural Pouch Horse

The guttural pouches are unique to a small number of animal species including the horse.

Guttural pouch horse.

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. These structures are large air filled sacs positioned on either side of the neck below the ear of the horse. 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.

They are sacs of air that expand from the eustachian tube with one on each side of the horse s head. Guttural pouch mycosis is a fungal infection that affects horses. What is the guttural pouch. Infection of the guttural pouch can be serious even life threatening.

Guttural pouches are unique to few species of animals including the horse. They are positioned beneath the ear and each guttural pouch cavity in an adult horse can hold as much as a coffee mug. A genetic basis of disease has been identified in arabian and german warmblood breeds. They are lined with a thin membrane which separates them from nerves and the jugular artery.

Fortunately this type of equine infection is rare but all horse owners should know the symptoms. 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. The condition guttural pouch tympany affects several breeds including the arabian horse. The guttural pouches are structures that are unique to few species of animals.

The condition predisposes young horses to infection often including severe swelling and often requires surgery to correct. These structures are large air filled sacs positioned on either side of the neck below the ear of the horse. They are lined with a thin membrane which separates them from nerves and and arteries. In some cases the condition is acquired due to inflammation of the upper respiratory tract.

The guttural pouch is also the site of infection in equine strangles. Each pouch has a volume of 300 500 ml and communicates with the nasopharynx through the pharyngeal opening of the auditory tube.