1. Animal Nervous and
Endocrine System

2. Co-ordination
• Animals must be able to sense and respond to
the environment to survive.
– temperature of their surroundings (avoid the hot sun)
– be able to identify food
– escape predators
Two systems are involved in co-ordination
• Nervous System
– operates via electrical impulses along nerve fibres
• Endocrine Systems
– operates by releasing special chemicals or hormones
into the bloodstream from glands.

3. Nervous System of a Horse

4. Main Components of the Nervous System
• Brain
– Keeps a check on internal organs and activities, such
as the level of carbon dioxide or water in the blood
– Receives information from senses
– Creates response
• Spinal Cord
– Transmits impulses to and from the brain and controls
many reflex actions.
• Nerve (Neuron)
– Sensory
– Inter
– Motor

5. Terms
• Nerve
– Carries electrical messages
• Reflex Action
– A quick, automatic response to a particular stimulus
(knee jerk)
• Autonomic Nervous System
– controls internal body functions not under conscious
control
• Central nervous system (CNS)
– brain and spinal cord
• Peripheral nervous system (PNS)
– the nerves branching
from the CNS to all parts of the body.

6. Sense Organs
• Animals have specialised senses to
provide them with information about their
environment.
• The five senses are sight, hearing, touch,
taste and smell

7. Sources of Stress Reaction to Stress
• Predators • Muscular Tension
• Lack of food and • Adrenaline Rush
water • Increase Heartbeat
• Captivity • Heightened
• No suitable mates Awareness
• Extreme change in
environment

8. Endocrine System of a Dog
• Group of specialised tissues (glands) that
produce chemicals called hormones

9. 2 types of Gland
Endocrine Glands Exocrine Glands
Ductless Glands Have a Duct
Secrete hormones Secretes hormones
directly into the blood directly to site

10. Hormones
• The pituitary is often called the ‘master gland’,
as many of its hormones trigger other glands to
release theirs
• It produces
– ADH to stimulate water reabsorption in the kidneys
(anti-diuretic hormone)
– TSH which stimulates the thyroid gland to release
thyroxine (thyroid stimulating hormone)
– FSH which controls the functions of the reproductive
organs. (follicle stimulating hormone)

12. • The thyroid gland, in the neck produces thyroxine
– stimulates metabolism
• The pancreas produces insulin
– stimulates cells to absorb glucose from the blood, and
store it as glycogen
• The adrenal gland produces adrenaline
– helps the body cope with emergencies (the ‘flight or
fight’ hormone)
• The ovary produces oestrogen and progesterone
– prepares the female for pregnancy
• The testes produce testosterone
– triggers sperm production and growth in the male

13. Gland Hormone Function

14. Comparison of the endocrine and nervous
systems - 1
Endocrine
Cells involved
Message
Carried by
Message sent to
Received by

15. Comparison of the endocrine and nervous
systems - 1
Endocrine
Cells involved Gland
Message Chemical
(Hormone)
Carried by Blood
Message sent to Cells throughout
the body
Received by Target organ

16. Comparison of the endocrine and nervous
systems - 1
Endocrine Nervous
Cells involved Gland Sense receptor
Message Chemical Electrical(Impulse)
(Hormone)
Carried by Blood Nerve cell
Message sent to Cells throughout A specific cell or
the body tissue
Received by Target organ Effector (muscle or
gland)

17. Comparison of the endocrine and nervous
systems -- 2
Endocrine
Speed of Usually slow
transmission
Effects Can be widespread
Duration long-lasting
(hours)

18. Comparison of the endocrine and nervous
systems -- 2
Endocrine Nervous
Speed of Usually slow Rapid
transmission
Effects Can be widespread Localised usually
Duration long-lasting Usually brief
(hours) (seconds)

19. Common Ailments of the Nervous
System
• Epilepsy
– Convulsions and Fits
– Removal of underlying cause or use
anticonvulsant drugs
• Ataxia
– Irregular or unsteady gait
– Physiotherapy

20. Common Ailments of the Endocrine
System
• Diabetes
– Signs – very dilute urine, anorexia, diarrhoea
– Drug therapy to treat
• Hypothyroidism
– Signs – clammy skin, weight gain, tired
– Drug therapy to treat