Guttural Pouch Anatomy

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.

Guttural pouch anatomy. Guttural pouches are of interest to both veterinarians and horse owners as they contain a number of important structures. The guttural pouch is a unique structure found in horses and only a few other species. The guttural pouches have important anatomical relationships with other neighboring structures particularly the retropharyngeal lymph node vascular and nervous elements. Endoscopic anatomy of a normal guttural pouch.

They are present in odd toed mammals some bats hyraxes and the american forest mouse. The condition guttural pouch tympa. It is an extension of the eustachian tube which is an air filled canal that connects the throat to the middle ear. They are paired bilaterally just below the ears behind the skull and connect to the nasopharynx.

The guttural pouch is a structure found only in equine species. Guttural pouches are paired extensions of the eustachian tubes that connect the pharynx to the middle ear. The infection usually develops subsequent to a bacterial primarily streptococcus spp infection of the upper respiratory tract. Palm beach equine clinic wellington florida usa.

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. Guttural pouches are large auditory tube diverticula that contain between 300 and 600 ml of air. There are two guttural pouches one on each side that are located just below the ear in the throatlatch region figure 1. Clinically relevant anatomy and basic treatment options for trauma.

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. 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. It is an outpouching of the eustachian tube the tube that connects the ears to the nose and mouth and helps to regulate air pressure. The equine guttural pouch.

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. Arteries such as the internal carotid artery and several cranial nerves. Empyema of guttural pouch horse radiograph courtesy of dr. Guttural pouch empyema in horses.