Heart weight and running ability.
Abstract: The weight of the heart as determined by dissection techniques was compared with liveweight and total muscle weight in different types of horses and dogs as adults and during growth. With increasing body size both within and between species, heart weight forms a lesser proportion of liveweight and of total muscle weight. Heart weight forms a greater proportion of liveweight in Thoroughbreds and Greyhounds (breeds noted for high speed running) than in other less fleet members of their species and Greyhounds have greater heart weights relative to total muscle weight than other dogs.
Publication Date: 1989-12-01 PubMed ID: 2630537PubMed Central: PMC1256836
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- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
Summary
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The research investigates the correlation between the heart weight and the running ability of different types of horses and dogs as adults and during growth. The findings indicate that heart weight forms a larger proportion of liveweight in Thoroughbreds and Greyhounds, breeds known for their high-speed running prowess, compared to other species.
About the Study
- The research focuses on studying the heart weight of different species of horses and dogs. The researchers dissected the animals to determine heart size and compared it with the live weight and total muscle weight.
- The study included adult species and those in the growth phase. The idea was to understand how heart weight changes with the growth of the animal and affects their performance.
- Species studied were both high-speed runners like Thoroughbreds and Greyhounds and also less fleet members of their respective species.
Findings
- Initial results revealed that with an increase in body size, both within and among species, the weight of the heart was found to be a smaller proportion of the live weight and the total muscle weight.
- However, contradicting the initial observation, when the species-specific characteristics were accounted for, Thoroughbreds and Greyhounds (known for high-speed running) showed a greater proportion of heart weight relative to their live weight, compared to other slower members of their species.
- Among dogs, Greyhounds displayed greater heart weights relative to their total muscle weight as compared to other dog species.
Implications
- The research gives an interesting insight into the possible linkage between heart weight and running efficiency in different species.
- The findings suggest that in species known for their speed, the heart forms a more significant proportion of thier liveweight, possibly contributing to their running ability.
- This could enhance our understanding of the bodily adaptations in swift animals. It may further be used to analyze and enhance the performance of race animals such as racehorses and greyhounds.
Cite This Article
APA
Gunn HM.
(1989).
Heart weight and running ability.
J Anat, 167, 225-233.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Anatomy, University College, Cork, Ireland.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Body Weight
- Dogs
- Heart / anatomy & histology
- Horses
- Muscles / anatomy & histology
- Organ Size
- Running
References
This article includes 15 references
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