Aorta

The aorta is the largest artery in the body and serves as the primary vessel through which oxygenated blood is distributed from the left ventricle of the heart to the systemic circulation.

It originates from the left ventricle with the aortic bulb, continues cranially with the ascending aorta, arches dorsally (forming the aortic arch), and continues as the descending aorta, which further divides into thoracic part (thoracic aorta) and abdominal part (abdominal aorta).

The aorta gives rise to various major branches that supply the head, neck, limbs, and viscera, with species-specific variations in the branching patterns commonly observed across domestic animals such as horses, dogs, and ruminants.