Preface

With our three-volume work on the Anatomy of the Dog (1), of the Horse (2), and of the Bovine (3), we pursue the goal to show the structure of the body by illustrations that are true to nature accompanied by a brief accompanying text. We do this in such a way that practical matters are emphasized and irrelevant clinical and functional details are only mentioned. Generally valid principles, which hold for all species with only slight species-specific differences, as for example the general anatomy of the autonomic nervous system, can be found in the Anatomy of the Dog (Vol. 1).

With the ever increasing importance of the horse as partner, helper, and sporting companion, we wanted with this submission of the second volume to emphasize the esthetics, grace and genial functionality of the structure of the body but also to emphasize in our book the susceptibility to diseases in all its naturalness. At the same time, we wanted to create an attractive basic contribution to animal health and a practice-related curriculum concept. In the newest edition presented here, the comprehensive and thorough revision of both the text and the figures was continued. A main objective was to join more closely the three areas, namely the topographicalanatomical main part with the clinical-functional contributions and the special anatomy in the form of tables into a uniform total concept, doing this by copious illustration and descriptive references. The well-tried didactic concept of the nexus between descriptive and illustrative elements on respective opposite pages of the book was understandably retained and further developed. In the topographical main part, additions and improvements are concentrated in the important, clinically significant, subjects such as the skin, the hoof and its suspensory apparatus with links to founder, head with pharynx and guttural pouch as well as the larynx, and arteries, veins and nerves of the pelvic cavity as also the perineal region in regards to obstetrics.

Corresponding to their increasing significance in study and practice, the contributions to clinical-functional anatomy were most intensively revised and most extensively completed. The close association between anatomy and orthopedics and their importance for equine medicine were taken into consideration by the expansion and the completion of the chapters on the limbs. Clinically relevant subjects of the head and abdominal and pelvic cavities including the genital organs were more intensively illuminated with a view to colic and parturition. That concerns also the examination of the eye and rectal exploration of the abdominal and pelvic cavities in preparation for sonographic examination of the sex organs with attention to the sexual cycle, artificial insemination and examination for pregnancy. The clinical-functional part was enriched by excellent illustrations from our anatomical archive. By their publication in a suitable manner, the high scientific and esthetic value of the figures may be appreciated and be of use for veterinarians, students and especially for equine medical science. In the clinical-functional portion, corrections, changes, additions and the addition of color were undertaken on the archive figures. The labeling is but scarce and justified, since an identification of anatomical structures by the aid of figure tables in the main part of our book is easily possible. In this way, we attain the aim of an easily remembered exercise for the student. We thank our generous colleagues for providing valuable viewing material from sources of modern imaging methods. These sources are mentioned in the key to the figures. We are thankful for the cooperation of the following mentioned colleagues in our community of authors: Prof. Dr. Rolf Berg, Prof. Dr. Aaron Horowitz, Dr. Bianca Patan, Proff. Christine and Jörg Aurich, Prof. Dr. Astrid Rijkenhuizen, Prof. Dr. Harald Sieme, Dr. Claudia Nöller, Prof. Dr. Peter S. Glatzel, Prof. Dr. Hartmut Gerhards and Privat Dozentin Dr. Bettina Wollanke. The valuable and constructive ideas from our circle of readers, especially the students, were taken into consideration as far as possible. They are also very welcome in the future. We suffered an extremely sad loss from the passing away of our co-editor and friend, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Sack, who masterfully shaped our former English editions. The common revision was wonderful and extremely beneficial for the improvement of our book.

Berlin, in the summer of 2008

For the authors, Klaus-D. Budras