Equine cardiology/respiratory Flashcards
what are common presenting signs of lower respiratory disease?
cough
bilateral nasal discharge
tachypnoea/dyspnoea
what is a heave line?
hypertrophy of external abdominal oblique due to increased respiratory effort
where is collapse more likely during inspiration?
upper respiratory tract (trachea)
where is collapse more likely during expiration??
lower respiratory tract (lungs)
where are lung sounds the loudest in the horse?
tracheal bifurcation (turbulence)
what are the three adventitious (abnormal) breath sounds?
wheeze
crackles
pleural rubs
what causes a wheeze to be heard when auscultating the lungs?
airway narrowing and vibrations (wall thickening, bronchospasm, obstructions…)
what causes monophonic and polyphonic wheezes?
monophonic - single location of narrowing
polyphonic - multiple locations of narrowing
what causes crackles to be auscultated?
mucus bubbling
popping open of collapsed airways (early inspiration)
what causes pleural friction rubs to be auscultated?
inflammation of parietal and visceral pleural membrane rubbing together
what is a rebreathing bag examination?
place bag over horse to make it breathe faster and harder to accentuate lung sounds
how can the lower respiratory tract be sampled?
tracheal aspirate
bronchoalveolar lavage
thoracocentesis
what is the main disadvantage of using endoscope guided tracheal aspiration?
contaminate lower respiratory tract with nasal/upper respiratory tract when passing the tube (not great for bacteriology/culture)
what should be seen grossly on a bronchoalveolar lavage sample?
foam - means there is surfactant so has gone right into alveoli
what is the general resting HR of a horse?
40bpm
what is the best peripheral pulse to feel in a horse?
facial artery
how is a pulse of an animal with severe aortic valve regurgitation felt?
bounding/hyperdynamic
what will cause jugular distention?
increase pressure/volume in the right atrium
what causes the S1 heart sound?
shutting of AV valves (ventricles contract)
what causes the S2 heart sound?
shutting of semilunar valves (ventricles relax)
when is S4 heard?
just before S1
what causes the S4 heart sound?
atrial contraction
when is S3 heard?
just after S2
what causes the S2 heart sound?
rapid ventricular filling
what biomarker is used for cardiac disease in horses?
troponin
where are electrodes placed when doing an ECG of a horse?
positive below left elbow
negative above right elbow
why are exercising ECGs harder to interpret?
sekeltal muscles causing deflections/movement
