Equine Cardiology: Diagnostic approach Flashcards
What’s the correlation between size and heart rate?
Bigger the animal - lower the heart rate
When is cardiac insufficiency most detectable?
During maximal performance
What is the presentation of cardiac disease in horses?
- History of poor performance
- Clinical signs of cardiac failure (rare)
- Systemically illness – secondary heart
disease - Incidental finding e.g.
– Pre-purchase examination
– Vaccination
What needs to be assessed in horses considering primary cardiac disease?
- Effect of the cardiac condition on:
– Athletic performance
– Risk of collapse (human injury)
– Resale value
– Risk of developing congestive heart failure (death)
How do you investigate problems in a horse?
*History/signalment
*Clinical examination / auscultation
*+/- ancillary techniques
= ECG , Echocardiography (ultrasound)
What does history and signalment include?
– Include performance history
– current fitness level
– history of any concurrent disease especially respiratory noise, EIPH etc.
Where should you palpate peripheral arterial pulse?
*Below jaw
*Behind eye
What happens with severe aortic valve regurgitation?
*Bounding, hyperdynamic arterial pulse
(Stronger pulse than usual)
How much of the jugular should the jug pulse fill?
1/3 of the height of the jugular
What needs examined considering the CV system?
- Respiratory Rate
- Peripheral oedema
- Mucous membranes
– Colour
– CRT - Hydration status
- Peripheral perfusion
Whats the difference between a physiological and pathological tachycardia?
– Physiological tachycardia:
* Exercise, temperature, stress
– Pathological tachycardia
* Metabolic, compensation for reduced stroke volume, reduced ABP
What are the different rhythms of the heart?
– Regular
– Regularly irregular
– Irregularly irregular
Where is heart beat of horse strongest?
Where the mitral valve sits
Start there then cover whole cardiac window
How can you listen to the heart on the right?
- Pull leg forward
- Stick stethoscope bell right under triceps just dorsal to point of elbow
Which valves shut during ventricular systole?
AV valve (Mitral + tricuspid)
