Diagnostics – Ultrasound in horses

Ultrasound in the home stable

With our digital ultrasound devices, we examine your horse directly in the stable. Ultrasound is painless, does not involve radiation and shows soft tissues that are not visible in the X-ray image.

What we use ultrasound for

• Skeletal muscles and tendons: Recognize injuries, assess severity, and monitor healing
• Joints and muscles: Soft tissue changes in cases of inflammation
• Abdominal organs: For example, diarrhea in case of colic or when there is a suspicion of an inflammation of the abdominal lining
• Rib cage: Lung tissue and pleura (the lining of the chest) in cases of suspected bacterial infections
• Eyes: Eye chambers, vitreous body, lens and retina, see Eye examination
• Breeding: Follicular control, insemination date and pregnancy, see Mares & Foals
• Hormonal problems in the mare: Examination of the ovaries and the uterus (uterus), especially in cases of suspected tumors, hormonal imbalances, problems with bleeding and irregular periods, or a bacterial infection of the uterus

Ultrasound and X-rays complement each other

X-rays show bones, ultrasound shows soft tissues. When there are doubts about the cause of the condition, we often use both methods to narrow down the diagnosis. We have both of these tools available on-site.

Frequently asked questions

Does my horse have to be shaved for this?
Yes, absolutely. Proper preparation of the region to be examined with ultrasound is of utmost importance for the interpretability of the images. Otherwise, findings may be overlooked or misinterpreted.

When should a tendon injury be checked?
The initial examination for suspected tendon injury should take place approximately 7 to 10 days after the accident or event, because the extent of the damage can then be best assessed. The follow-up examinations should be performed at intervals of 4 to 6 weeks.