Chapters 18 to 25 describe the various elements of cardio­vascular function and control.

An understanding of these individual elements is not sufficient, however, to provide a basis for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular dysfunction. The veterinary clinician must understand the inter­action of these elements in both normal and abnormal situ­ations. Therefore this chapter discusses three fundamentally important, integrated cardiovascular responses: (1) the response to heart failure, (2) the response to hemorrhage, and (3) the response to exercise. In addition to elucidating important, inte­grated responses, this discussion provides a review and sum­mary of key concepts of cardiovascular physiology.