Download Basic Physical Examination of Horses

Basic Physical
Examination of
Horses
Chapter #2
Pages 29-45 LACP
Pulse Rate/Heart Rate
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The pulse rate is taken by palpation of arteries
Heart rate and pulse rate are nor the same:
heart rate refers to the number of heart
bests/minute (bpm); pulse rate refers to the
number of palpable arterial pulse waves/minute
In normal animals heart rate and pulse rate are
equal
Arterial pulses may be palpated at several
locations
Pulse deficit (heart rate ↑ pulse rate↓)
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Facial artery is the most convenient location
where it courses over the ventral aspect of the
mandible, rostral to the origin of the masseter
muscle
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B, Identify the facial artery along the medial
aspect of the mandible.
C, Press the vascular bundle against the medial
aspect of the mandible
Transverse facial artery

Is located in a horizontal depression about 1 inch
caudal to the lateral canthus of the eye and just
below the zygomatic arch.
Coocygeal artery
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Supplies the tail and
is located along the
ventral midline of the
tail.
Dorsal metatarsal artery

Is located between
the metatarsal 3 and
4 (cannon bone and
lateral splint bone) on
the hind limp
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E, Location of the lateral digital artery over the lateral
proximal sesamoid bone and proximal to the lateral
collateral cartilage. F, Palpation of the digital arteries
over the proximal sesamoid bones. G, Palpation of
the digital arteries proximal to the collateral cartilages.
Heart Auscultation
Horses are athletes: the hearth of the
average horse may be as large as a
basketball.
 Auscultation may be done on the left or
right side of the chest, though most of the
heart valves and sounds are heard best
from the left side
 The most common cause of an irregular
heart rhythm in the horse is the second
degree atrioventricular (A-V) block

Landmarks for the heart
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The horizontal marks indicate the level of the
shoulder and elbow joints. The vertical mark
indicates the caudal border of the triceps
muscle.