Species Variations
The description of the abdominal and pelvic arteries in this chapter is based on the dog. There are very close similarities between the domestic mammals, any differences being due to the variations in gross anatomy.
For example, the contrast between the ruminant and equine abdominal viscera inevitably leads to variation in vascularity.There are few circumstances in which the abdominal arteries are directly involved in clinical situations. Neoplastic lesions of the abdominal and pelvic organs may cause haemorrhage, and mechanical injuries of the gastrointestinal and reproductive viscera may damage blood vessels. Large redworms (Strongylus vulgaris) migrate within equine blood vessels, especially the cranial mesenteric artery, causing haemorrhage. However, the attentive use of anthelmintic preparations has considerably reduced the occurrence of these parasites.