Endoscopic Exam
This will be a very important step before Dyana is put into rigorous training because if there are any weaknesses discovered in her larynx, she will not be raced.A scope is used to look specifically at the structure and function of the larynx. The larynx is a complex valve located at the back of the throat just above the trachea ('windpipe'). The larynx is made of cartilage, muscle and nerves and is covered by a mucous membrane. It, and particularly the arytenoid cartilages that form the front of the larynx, act as a valve to prevent food from being inhaled when the horse eats (it closes tightly during swallowing) while allowing the maximum amount of air to enter the lungs during exercise (it opens fully when the horse breathes in). Also, it is the organ of voice production. While this is most important in humans it is of secondary consideration for the racehorse.