Anhidrosis is defined as a decreased ability to sweat in response to increased body temperature. Failure to sweat has been described in both horses and man and it manifests primarily in to hot, humid climates, like Florida and other Gulf coast states. It is an important problem particularly in performance horses because thermoregulation is mainly accomplished by sweating. In the horse, between 65-70% of body heat is lost via the evaporation of sweat. A humid environment further decreases efficiency of sweat evaporation and cooling of the horse. Sweat glands are densely packed in horse skin (810 glands per cm2), primarily exiting to the skin surface at a hair follicle. These tubular, coiled glands have a rich blood supply and numerous nerves are found in close proximity to the glands. The sweat produced has a number of components, including proteins, electrolytes and significant amounts of water. The proteins found in sweat are primarily glycoproteins, surfactants and proteins associated with skin defense. Electrolytes (including sodium, potassium, and chloride) are found at a higher concentration than blood, particularly potassium.
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Veterinary Sciences and Medicine 