The respiratory system consists of the large and small airways and the lungs. When a horse inhales, the air travels down the trachea, which divides into the tubes known as the right and left bronchi, then into the smaller airways called bronchioles in the lungs. The bronchioles end in the small sacs called alveoli, where the barrier between the air and the blood is a thin membrane.
The most important function of the respiratory system is to deliver oxygen into the blood, which distributes it throughout the body, and to remove carbon dioxide from the blood. The exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide occurs in the alveoli. When this exchange fails or becomes inefficient because of disease, the animal can become seriously ill. The respiratory system protects its own delicate airways by warming and humidifying inhaled air and by filtering out particles. Large airborne particles usually land on the mucous lining of the nasal passages, after which they are carried to the throat to be either swallowed or coughed up. Small particles and microorganisms are destroyed by the body's immune system.
Although the basic functions are the same, the anatomy of the respiratory tract varies among species. For example, the respiratory systems of dogs and cats are somewhat similar to each other, but differ from the respiratory systems of horses and humans. These differences explain in part why some diseases affect only certain species of animals. Horses are nasal breathers, and are not able to breathe through their mouths. Because of this, the horse's nasal passages are large and can expand somewhat during strenuous exercise in order to increase the intake of air.
The respiratory system consists of the large and small airways and the lungs. When a horse inhales, the air travels down the trachea, which divides into the tubes known as the right and left bronchi, then into the smaller airways called bronchioles in the lungs. The bronchioles end in the small sacs called alveoli, where the barrier between the air and the blood is a thin membrane.
The most important function of the respiratory system is to deliver oxygen into the blood, which distributes it throughout the body, and to remove carbon dioxide from the blood. The exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide occurs in the alveoli. When this exchange fails or becomes inefficient because of disease, the animal can become seriously ill. The respiratory system protects its own delicate airways by warming and humidifying inhaled air and by filtering out particles. Large airborne particles usually land on the mucous lining of the nasal passages, after which they are carried to the throat to be either swallowed or coughed up. Small particles and microorganisms are destroyed by the body's immune system.
Although the basic functions are the same, the anatomy of the respiratory tract varies among species. For example, the respiratory systems of dogs and cats are somewhat similar to each other, but differ from the respiratory systems of horses and humans. These differences explain in part why some diseases affect only certain species of animals. Horses are nasal breathers, and are not able to breathe through their mouths. Because of this, the horse's nasal passages are large and can expand somewhat during strenuous exercise in order to increase the intake of air.
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