Overview of Equine Echocardiography

Equine echocardiography uses ultrasound technology to display images of a horse's heart, according to Matt Durham, D.V.M., in his article "The Equine Heart Part 2: Common Cardiac Disease." The article further states that this equipment provides veterinarians with a resolute image that can be used to evaluate the different structures of the heart, the quality of its movements and the chamber size throughout the different aspects of a heartbeat.

  1. Function

    • According to Dr. Colin C. Schwarzwald in his article "Equine Echocardiography," the veterinary discipline of cardiology has integrated equine echocardiography into practice, making it a standard diagnostic procedure. He advocates echocardiography as a vital tool for diagnosing horses with heart disease, congenital cardiac defects or an arrhythmia because it allows veterinarians to evaluate the horse's internal cardiac structure, size and function.

    Features

    • The three types of echocardiology are M-mode, 2D and Doppler ultrasonography. M-mode and 2D equine echocardiography allow users to see the heart structure and function, according to Schwarzwald. Doppler ultrasonography works similarly to Doppler weather radar by showing "direction, volume, and speed of fluid movement," states Durham. He asserts that issues such as abnormal blood flow and leaky valves can be detected using Doppler ultrasonography.

    Significance

    • Echocardiography can determine strong cardiac development in foals.

      According to N. Edward Robinson and Kim A. Spayberry, authors of "Current Therapy in Equine Medicine," echocardiography is changing the equine industry. The authors explain how researchers use equine echocardiography to study the following circumstances: The heart size of young, prospective racehorses are studied to determine their athletic ability; the effects of rigorous training and supplementation on equine cardiac development, and to ensure the best cardiac genetics are passed on to offspring.

    Considerations

    • According to Schwarzwald, a few factors should be considered before having a horse tested using echocardiography. First, the horse should not be sedated unless his behavior is uncooperative. Sedation can manipulate dimension and blood flow results, leaving only the structural data to be legitimate. Second, the horse's size, anatomical build of the thorax and the type of echocardiography equipment used can affect image results. Four views of the heart are taken--a long and short view from both the right and left pasternal areas.

    Benefits

    • Horses can experience the same cardiac maladies as humans. Congenital defects, heart disease and arrhythmias can negatively affect the athletic performance of a horse. Using echocardiography, veterinarians are able to diagnose, treat and provide an improved prognosis for an equine heart condition better than with other tools.