FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract / Equine Echocardiography.
The Veterinary clinics of North America. Equine practice2019; 35(1); 43-64; doi: 10.1016/j.cveq.2018.12.008

Equine Echocardiography.

Abstract: This article provides an overview on the principles of transthoracic echocardiography in horses. Indications for echocardiography, equipment, and technical considerations are discussed and a systematic approach for a complete echocardiographic examination in horses is described. Methods for assessment of chamber dimensions, allometric scaling of measurements, assessment of systolic and diastolic ventricular function, assessment of atrial function, hemodynamic assessment, and evaluation of valvular regurgitation are explained, focusing on traditional 2-dimensional (2D), motion-mode, and Doppler echocardiographic methods. Selected applications of newer echocardiographic methods, such as tissue Doppler imaging and 2D speckle tracking are also described.
Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2019-02-27 PubMed ID: 30826106DOI: 10.1016/j.cveq.2018.12.008Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article
  • Review

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research paper outlines the principles and methods used in equine echocardiography, a non-invasive diagnostic technique to study the anatomy and function of a horse’s heart.

Echocardiography Indications, Equipment, and Technical Considerations

  • The paper begins by discussing various instances when echocardiography should be used in horses. These could include clinical suspicions of cardiac disease, routine examinations, or to monitor cardiac function over time.
  • It also highlights types of equipment needed for conducting an echocardiographic examination, such as the echo machine, probes, and potentially a sedation kit for the horse.
  • The authors recommend certain technical considerations for obtaining optimal images and results in the process. This can involve the positioning of the horse, choice of probe based on the size of the horse and area of interest, and settings of the ultrasound machine to obtain good resolution images.

Systematic Approach to Echocardiographic Examination

  • The research outlines a step-by-step procedure to conduct a complete echocardiographic examination. This approach includes steps like setting up the equipment properly, sedating or calming the horse as required, identifying the correct anatomic landmarks for placing the probe, and capturing and interpreting the images correctly.

Assessment Methods

  • The paper explains various strategies for evaluating distinct aspects of cardiac function, including chamber dimensions, systolic and diastolic ventricular function, atrial function, and hemodynamics.
  • Some mathematical considerations, such as allometric scaling of measurements, are also detailed. This technique is used to adjust the physical measurements according to the size of the horse to get more accurate and relevant results.
  • The article discusses methods for evaluating valvular regurgitation by analyzing the color flow Doppler patterns.

Advanced Echocardiographic Methods

  • The study concludes by describing selected applications of newer, more advanced echocardiographic methods like tissue Doppler imaging and 2D speckle tracking. These methods allow for a more detailed and comprehensive evaluation of various aspects of cardiac function.

The information provided in the research article can serve as a definitive guide for veterinarians or medical professionals who require a detailed understanding of equine echocardiography.

Cite This Article

APA
Schwarzwald CC. (2019). Equine Echocardiography. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract, 35(1), 43-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cveq.2018.12.008

Publication

The Veterinary clinics of North America. Equine practice
ISSN: 1558-4224
NlmUniqueID: 8511904
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 35
Issue: 1
Pages: 43-64
PII: S0749-0739(18)30080-4

Researcher Affiliations

Schwarzwald, Colin C
  • Clinic for Equine Internal Medicine, Equine Department, Swiss Equine Cardiology Consulting, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, Zurich 8057, Switzerland. Electronic address: cschwarzwald@vetclinics.uzh.ch.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / diagnostic imaging
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / veterinary
  • Echocardiography / methods
  • Echocardiography / veterinary
  • Horse Diseases / diagnostic imaging
  • Horses

Citations

This article has been cited 25 times.
  1. Marzok M, Kandeel M, Alkhodair K, Abdel-Raheem S, Ismail H, Farag A, Ibrahim H, El-Ashkar M, Shousha S, El-Khodery S. Evaluation of cardiac indices using M-mode echocardiography after administration of metoclopramide and ondansetron in donkeys (Equus asinus): an experimental study. Front Vet Sci 2023;10:1189710.
    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1189710pubmed: 37680391google scholar: lookup
  2. Bevevino KE, Cohen ND, Gordon SG, Navas de Solis C. Feasibility of a point-of-care ultrasound protocol for cardiorespiratory evaluation of horses in different clinical settings. J Vet Intern Med 2023 May-Jun;37(3):1223-1232.
    doi: 10.1111/jvim.16674pubmed: 36975771google scholar: lookup
  3. Aleixo ASC, Ferreira DOL, Tsunemi MH, Chiacchio SB, Lourenço MLG. Influence of Dorper lamb development from birth to 120 days of age on clinical and echocardiographic parameters. Sci Rep 2022 Nov 17;12(1):19726.
    doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-23418-zpubmed: 36396733google scholar: lookup
  4. Khalesi H, Sakha M, Veshkini A, Rezakhani A. Assessing the cardiac valves conditions in athletic horses with poor performance. Vet Res Forum 2022 Sep;13(3):423-429.
    doi: 10.30466/vrf.2021.130366.2997pubmed: 36320295google scholar: lookup
  5. Vitale V, Vezzosi T, Di Franco C, Briganti A, Tognetti R, Conte G, Bucchioni E, Sgorbini M. Equine echocardiography: Can dobutamine infusion correct alterations due to sedation with alpha-2 agonists?. PLoS One 2022;17(10):e0276256.
    doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276256pubmed: 36256667google scholar: lookup
  6. Eberhardt C, Schwarzwald CC. Focused cardiac ultrasound examination in the emergency and critical care horse: Training for non-specialist veterinarians and evaluation of proficiency. J Vet Intern Med 2022 Jul;36(4):1471-1480.
    doi: 10.1111/jvim.16446pubmed: 35657023google scholar: lookup
  7. Vernemmen I, Van Steenkiste G, Dufourni A, Decloedt A, van Loon G. Transvenous electrical cardioversion of atrial fibrillation in horses: Horse and procedural factors correlated with success and recurrence. J Vet Intern Med 2022 Mar;36(2):758-769.
    doi: 10.1111/jvim.16395pubmed: 35246994google scholar: lookup
  8. Hövener J, Pokar J, Merle R, Gehlen H. Association between Cardiac Auscultation and Echocardiographic Findings in Warmblood Horses. Animals (Basel) 2021 Dec 5;11(12).
    doi: 10.3390/ani11123463pubmed: 34944240google scholar: lookup
  9. Zhang X, Li P, Li Y. Feature Point Extraction and Motion Tracking of Cardiac Color Ultrasound under Improved Lucas-Kanade Algorithm. J Healthc Eng 2021;2021:4959727.
    doi: 10.1155/2021/4959727pubmed: 34394892google scholar: lookup
  10. Berthoud D, Schwarzwald CC. Echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular size and systolic function in Warmblood horses using linear measurements, area-based indices, and volume estimates: A retrospective database analysis. J Vet Intern Med 2021 Jan;35(1):504-520.
    doi: 10.1111/jvim.15968pubmed: 33247461google scholar: lookup
  11. Vernemmen I, Vera L, Van Steenkiste G, van Loon G, Decloedt A. Reference values for 2-dimensional and M-mode echocardiography in Friesian and Warmblood horses. J Vet Intern Med 2020 Nov;34(6):2701-2709.
    doi: 10.1111/jvim.15938pubmed: 33098342google scholar: lookup
  12. Haugaard SL, Schneider MJ, Kjeldsen ST, Sattler SM, Bastrup JA, Saljic A, Birk JB, Hansen C, Synnestvedt JN, van Hunnik A, Sobota V, Carstensen H, Hopster-Iversen C, Schwarzwald CC, Altintaş A, Barrès R, Jepps TA, Larsen S, Kjøbsted R, Wojtaszewski JFP, Barrado Ballestero S, Roostalu U, Herum KM, Jespersen T, Nattel S, Nissen SD, Buhl R. Metformin Protects Against Persistent Atrial Fibrillation in an Equine Model. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol 2025 Dec;18(12):e013850.
    doi: 10.1161/CIRCEP.125.013850pubmed: 41328576google scholar: lookup
  13. Dufourni A, Demeyere M, Vernemmen I, Van Steenkiste G, Verhaeghe LM, van Loon G, Decloedt A. Effect of N-Butylscopolammonium Bromide and Metamizol Sodium on Heart Rate, Blood Pressure, and Echocardiographic Measurements in Warmblood Horses With Aortic and Mitral Valve Regurgitation. J Vet Intern Med 2025 Nov-Dec;39(6):e70254.
    doi: 10.1111/jvim.70254pubmed: 41070729google scholar: lookup
  14. Selecky ME, Louie EW, Donnelly C, Finno CJ, Morgan JM. Reference Values and Association of Body Weight, Age, and Sex With Echocardiographic Measurements in Non-Athletic Quarter Horses. J Vet Intern Med 2025 Sep-Oct;39(5):e70237.
    doi: 10.1111/jvim.70237pubmed: 40931454google scholar: lookup
  15. Schneider MJ, Piotrowski IL, Junge HK, van Steenkiste G, Vernemmen I, van Loon G, Schwarzwald CC. Application of Acoustic Cardiography in Assessment of Cardiac Function in Horses with Atrial Fibrillation Before and After Cardioversion. Animals (Basel) 2025 Jul 7;15(13).
    doi: 10.3390/ani15131993pubmed: 40646892google scholar: lookup
  16. van Spijk JN, Junge HK, Eberhardt C, Wolf N, Vogt D, Zscherpe P, Herger E, Straub M, Schwarzwald CC. Evaluation of Subjective Assessment of Right Heart Size and Function Using Standard 2D-Echocardiographic Recordings in Horses With and Without Pulmonary Hypertension. J Vet Intern Med 2025 Jul-Aug;39(4):e70145.
    doi: 10.1111/jvim.70145pubmed: 40586330google scholar: lookup
  17. Vernemmen I, Demeyere M, Van Steenkiste G, Buschmann E, Decloedt A, van Loon G. Novel Intracardiac Ultrasound Images Developed on a Cardiac Ultrasound Simulator and Validated in Live Horses. J Vet Intern Med 2025 May-Jun;39(3):e70087.
    doi: 10.1111/jvim.70087pubmed: 40269662google scholar: lookup
  18. Khan NM, Scott V, Ghasemzadeh-Hasankolaei M, Padmanabhan V, Vyas A, Evans NP, Bellingham M. Sexually dimorphic cardiovascular impacts of prenatal exposure to a real-life environmental chemical mixture in adult offspring. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol 2025 Apr;115:104669.
    doi: 10.1016/j.etap.2025.104669pubmed: 40049306google scholar: lookup
  19. Santosuosso E, Léguillette R, Shoemaker S, Baumwart R, Temple S, Hemmerling K, Kell T, Bayly W. A consort-guided randomized, blinded, controlled clinical trial on the effects of 6 weeks training on heart rate variability in thoroughbred horses. J Vet Intern Med 2025 Jan-Feb;39(1):e17253.
    doi: 10.1111/jvim.17253pubmed: 39655519google scholar: lookup
  20. Shokrollahi S, Mohammadi R, Sarrafzadeh-Rezaei F, Jalilzadeh-Amin G, Hashemi-Asl SM. Clinical and echocardiographic evaluations of sedative and cardiovascular effects of combination of xylazine-acepromazine versus xylazine-pregabalin in horses. Vet Res Forum 2024;15(6):291-296.
    doi: 10.30466/vrf.2024.2013359.4034pubmed: 39035476google scholar: lookup
  21. Ramos GV, Santos MM, Gava FN, de Lacerda-Neto JC. Effects of conditioning on the left ventricular function of young purebred Arabian horses. PLoS One 2024;19(6):e0304724.
    doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304724pubmed: 38829873google scholar: lookup
  22. Piotrowski IL, Junge HK, Schwarzwald CC. Evaluation of the Audicor Acoustic Cardiography Device as a Diagnostic Tool in Horses with Mitral or Aortic Valve Insufficiency. Animals (Basel) 2024 Jan 21;14(2).
    doi: 10.3390/ani14020331pubmed: 38275790google scholar: lookup
  23. Dufourni A, Buschmann E, Vernemmen I, Van Steenkiste G, van Loon G, Decloedt A. Effect of physiological and pharmacological stress on heart rate, blood pressure, and echocardiographic measurements in healthy Warmblood horses. J Vet Intern Med 2024 Jan-Feb;38(1):398-410.
    doi: 10.1111/jvim.16967pubmed: 38174810google scholar: lookup
  24. Santos MM, Ramos GV, de Figueiredo IM, Silva TCBV, Lacerda-Neto JC. Cardiac Changes after Lactate-Guided Conditioning in Young Purebred Arabian Horses. Animals (Basel) 2023 May 29;13(11).
    doi: 10.3390/ani13111800pubmed: 37889733google scholar: lookup
  25. Vitale V, Laurberg M, van Galen G, van Loon G. Limitations of transthoracic echocardiography in equine patients. Vet Med Sci 2023 Jul;9(4):1618-1620.
    doi: 10.1002/vms3.906pubmed: 36998232google scholar: lookup
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,344 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.