Utilizing Infrared Imaging
for Immediate Injury Identification

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Take away the "Guessing" – Uses of Thermal Imaging

Before thermographic technology, professionals could only locate a problem with observation or palpation. It is often difficult in veterinary medicine to make a true diagnosis of injury due to changing symptoms or the lack of visibly recognizable symptoms. Add this to the patient's inability to communicate and we are then faced with frustration for the vet, trainer, therapist, farrier, Equine professional and disillusionment to the client. Human palpation skills only pick up changes of one or two degree Fahrenheit. Thermal Imaging can detect changes of 0.4 degree Fahrenheit. This allows you to perceive early abnormalities before they become anatomical disruption such as muscle strain, ligament sprain, joint capsule inflammation, stress fractures and more. If not detected early some condition may become catastrophic or even life-threatening situations.

Early detection is your best Prevention

Since animal cannot speak, it has been difficult for caretakers to truly identify hidden or masked conditions. Using thermal imaging as an early preventive measure, you will take away the guessing and will be able to take immediate action when needed. Early detection will be your best prevention, saving your animal lots discomfort and pain, saving you the lay-up time in your training program, not to mention the expensive bills.

Saddle Fit Analysis Imaging

Evaluation of the equine back is typically limited to the veterinarian's skill in palpation. Sadly, there is little to zero saddle-fitting education provided to veterinary students or post-graduates unless they seek this information out as individuals.

This horse is an 8 year-old Warmblood gelding with a history of teeth grinding, tail swishing, uneven gait, and problems with lead changes. His history is consistent with saddle-fitting problems, but his owner has had her saddle evaluated twice by a certified saddle-fitter and was told the saddle fit well and was not the problem. When the saddle tree spontaneously broke, new measurements were made and the owner paid to replace the tree only 2 months before these images were obtained. She was clearly under the impression that her saddle could not be the problem, though she had doubts about the fitter's abilities. Pony is so difficult to work with as a patient that the referring veterinarian is unable to administer traditional care or palpation without being in danger of being kicked or bitten. The horse's problems continue, so Pony's owner presents him for a baseline thermal imaging scan. His images quickly show areas of focal inflammation in his back, as well as a possible bilateral tarsitis (inflammation in the hocks). When asked about his history, the owner reported that she hadn't ridden him for 3 days prior to his scan due to her being out of town. The images, however, clearly show pressure points created by the saddle panels on the horse's back.

These thermal imaging findings quickly prompted the owner to seek a second opinion on her saddle-fit. A Certified Master Saddler was able to evaluate the fit and determine that the current saddle was pinching the horse's shoulders, was too long for his back, tipped, and was falling to the side. A new saddle was ordered, and appropriate therapy was recommended, including rest and massage by the owner.

Hoof Balance Imaging – (My aching feet!)

Thermal imaging is a very useful tool for industry farriers. From hoof bruises to abscesses, imbalances and founder, excessive pressure on the heels, it's quick and easy heat detection is invaluable for looking at hooves. In most cases, thermal imaging is able to guide quick evaluation and treatment to any horse, shod or bare foot. You can image before and after trimming/shoeing to validate the work down and how it fits the horse. Veterinarians and farriers frequently ask if thermography is helpful for cases of laminitis or navicular syndrome. As these diseases cause changes in the circulation, they can be positively visualized. However, for both clients and practitioners, it is important to remember that deeper anatomic structures cannot be distinctly visualized as the camera only detects surface heat.

Joint Inflammation Imaging

The wear and tear of training/working over any extended period of time affect all joints of the body. Regardless of discipline, as the horse progress in age, its spine other major joints such as the hocks, stifles, and sacroiliacs sustain serious damage such as Arthritis. Soft-tissue injuries such as suspensory ligament tears and flexor tendon tears also occur from repeated loading and torque when the body is fatigued or is not balanced.

Back Pain Analysis Imaging

Equine back pain is often mistaken for other lamenesses. As the horse protects its spine and paraspinal muscles, it changes its way of going, soon leading to breakdown of other joints such as the hocks, stifles, and sacroiliacs. Soft-tissue injuries such as suspensory ligament tears and tendon tears also occur from loading and torque when the body isn't balanced. Equine veterinary chiropractic and acupuncture care has gained widespread acceptance by horse-owners, but is still viewed as voodoo by many veterinary practitioners. Thus, horses are left to suffer sore backs, or be subjected to steroid injections and other band-aid treatments without addressing the underlying causes of their diseases. Thermal imaging provides evidence of the pathology in the equine back. Radiographs of the equine spine are also available to aid in determining more exact disease processes, but these necessitate a visit to an equine hospital with a machine large enough to accomplish these views. Thermal imaging, however, can quickly identify areas of inflammation, pressure points, and saddle-fitting problems at the owner's home facility and for less cost and logistical upset than traditional modalities.

Neurological Problems Imaging

Neurological problems can be very painful to the horse. Anywhere from a stenosis to a nerve pinch at its roots, or compression along its pathway, nerve irritations can cause a lot of referred pain. Thermal Imaging can help to quickly identify these conditions. Over stimulated nerve will show as a red pattern on the camera, where a pinched nerve will show as a bleu pattern reflecting the lack of conduction to that part.

Dental/TMJ Problem Imaging

Changes in the dental and/or TMJ structures of the horse will present a heat signature easily detected by the InfraRed camera. Thermal imaging offers you another way to know that your horse has a proper mastication apparatus and can assume a healthy contact at the bit.

Muscle, Ligament Tear Imaging

One of the best uses of thermal imaging is serial imaging of a lesion to monitor healing. While ultrasound is also useful for soft-tissue evaluation, the cost and small examination area involved can limit its use. Thermal Imaging can quickly monitor healing of both soft-tissue and bony lesions through serial analysis of heat signature. In the example shown, the horse presented for a hot "splint" – an inflammatory lesion on the inside of the leg created by stress or trauma. While palpation may suggest the lesion is "cold" and the horse is ready to go back to work, thermal imaging can provide a more sensitive evaluation.

Pre-Purchase Imaging

The full body scan includes 28 thermal pictures covering the entire body of the horse and is reviewed by a Veterinarian specialized in thermal imaging. The feedback from that specialist will give you a first evaluation of the horse of choice for a very reasonable fee.

Pre-Post Training Imaging

For the professional trainer/owner that needs to know how his horse is doing right now, thermal imaging provides the best tool in the trade! You can get a full scan of your animal before and after training so you can identify his areas of stress much faster and much more accurately than by hand. This feedback help you monitor his training closely and take quick early action in a preventive way before problems happen.