Equine Cardio Exam Summary

Question 1

explain a summary of an equine cardio exam

Answer 1

1. distant exam: dyspnea, mentation, body condition?
2. evaluate the mucus membranes for moistness, color, and CRT
3. feel the arterial pulses, facial and digital
4. examine the jugular veins
5. listen to the heart: rate, rhythm, murmurs, extra sounds, valves, both sides!
6. listen to the lungs: stertor, stridor, listen to 9 spots on each side, listen to the trachea!

Question 2

where do you put the stuff on a horse for ECG?

Answer 2

white on right jugular furrow
black on left jugular furrow
red on the apex beat (by the olecranon where you’d listen to the mitral valve)

Question 3

what are some things you should evaluate on an ECG?

Answer 3

• identify all QRS complexes, each should have a T wave after it, and the intervals between the complexes should be the same
• is there a P wave for every QRS or are there some dropped beats?
• are the P-P and R-R intervals regular?
• do all the P waves and QRS complexes look the same?