Equine Cardiology & Respiratory Diseases Questions and Answers
1. Normal respiration rate for horse: 12-20 breaths
2. Is flaring their nostrils normal for horses?: NO
3. Describe normal mucous membranes of horses: LIGHT pink (pale than com- panion animals), "slimy", CRT < 2
seconds
(Common to be icteric in ANY condition causing decreased appetite)
4. Describe a rebreathing exam: Increase CO2 inspired —> Brain responds by triggering deeper breaths —> Allows
you to hear lung sounds that would otherwise be more subtle
Listen with the bag on & off!
5. What should you do if you hear a horse with stridor?: Tracheostomy ASAP!!
6. Inspiratory upper airway noise during exercise: Roar (increases with speed)
7. Expiratory upper airway noise during exercise: Rattle
8. What condition is associated with wheezing?: Equine asthma
9. When to do a rebreathing exam?: History of cough, tachypnea, nostril flare, or exercise intolerance (or if there is
just too much ambient noise)
DO NOT perform if in current respiratory distress or the abnormal lung sounds are already audible
10.What can be imaged with thoracic ultrasound?: Pleura only! (Anything below pleura is artifact and cannot be
assessed)
11.Describe glide sign: On thoracic ultrasound, should look like the pleural line is moving despite probe being
, Equine Cardiology & Respiratory Diseases Questions and Answers
stationary if horse is breathing
12.What are "comet tails" on thoracic ultrasound?: Artifact from roughened pleural surface
13.Describe a "hepatized lung": Lung become so consolidated (example: during pneumonia) that it looks like the
liver on ultrasound and grossly
14.An apparent pleural line on ultrasound that does NOT exhibit a glide sign may be Pneumothorax
15.What does an interstitial lung pattern look like in a horse?: Lacy or "spider- web" appearance
16.Best sampling technique for each region of the airway: Upper respiratory tract:
Guttural pouch:
Lower resp tract (diffuse)
Lower resp tract (focal): Upper respiratory tract: nasopharyngeal swab (PCR & culture for Strep equi)
, Equine Cardiology & Respiratory Diseases Questions and Answers
Guttural pouch: guttural pouch lavage (PCR & culture for Strep equi) Lower resp tract (diffuse):
bronchoalveolar lavage (cytology)
Lower resp tract (focal): transtracheal wash (culture & cytology)
17.What type of culture should be done from a transtracheal wash sample?-
: Aerobic & Anaerobic
18.What side of the heart should be bigger in a horse?: Left
19.Normal heart rate of horse: 24 to 44 bpm
20.Perfusion parameters of horse (3): Mucous membranes, pulse palpation (sub- mandibular), distal limb/ ear
temperature
21.A pulse quality with a large difference between systolic & diastolic pres- sures: "Waterhammer" pulse
22.: Palpate submandibular pulse at same time:
If feel pulse at same time as murmur= Systolic If do not feel pulse at
time of murmur= Diastolic
23.Which heart valve can be auscultated most caudally on the left side?: Mitral valve
24.To auscultate the heart valves, typically must place your stethoscope...: -
Under the triceps muscle (get deep into the axilla, except for mitral valve on left side)
25.: Vagally mediated arrhythmia (2nd degree AV block)
26.How quickly should a heart rate elevated by exercise return to normal?: Fall minutes within 2 minutes
Normal rate by 15 minutes
27.What arrhythmia sounds like "shoes in a dryer"?: Atrial fibrillation
, Equine Cardiology & Respiratory Diseases Questions and Answers
28.General cardiac diseases of equines in order of likelihood (3): 1. Arrhyth- mias & murmurs without clinical
signs
2. Subclinical disease with vague clinical signs (poor performance)
3. Congestive heart failure (uncommon)
29.What is one of the most important aspects of diagnosis of cardiac dis- eases?: Recommendation for safe
riding or diving
30.Signs of cardiac disease (5): 1. Arrhythmias or murmurs at rest
2. Syncope or sudden death
3. Poor performance or exercise intolerance
4. Inappropriately high heart rate during exercise, increased time needed cool down time
5. Congestive heart failure signs if progress
31.What is different about the equine heartbeat?: "Gallop" sound (S3) from rapid ventricular filling
1. Normal respiration rate for horse: 12-20 breaths
2. Is flaring their nostrils normal for horses?: NO
3. Describe normal mucous membranes of horses: LIGHT pink (pale than com- panion animals), "slimy", CRT < 2
seconds
(Common to be icteric in ANY condition causing decreased appetite)
4. Describe a rebreathing exam: Increase CO2 inspired —> Brain responds by triggering deeper breaths —> Allows
you to hear lung sounds that would otherwise be more subtle
Listen with the bag on & off!
5. What should you do if you hear a horse with stridor?: Tracheostomy ASAP!!
6. Inspiratory upper airway noise during exercise: Roar (increases with speed)
7. Expiratory upper airway noise during exercise: Rattle
8. What condition is associated with wheezing?: Equine asthma
9. When to do a rebreathing exam?: History of cough, tachypnea, nostril flare, or exercise intolerance (or if there is
just too much ambient noise)
DO NOT perform if in current respiratory distress or the abnormal lung sounds are already audible
10.What can be imaged with thoracic ultrasound?: Pleura only! (Anything below pleura is artifact and cannot be
assessed)
11.Describe glide sign: On thoracic ultrasound, should look like the pleural line is moving despite probe being
, Equine Cardiology & Respiratory Diseases Questions and Answers
stationary if horse is breathing
12.What are "comet tails" on thoracic ultrasound?: Artifact from roughened pleural surface
13.Describe a "hepatized lung": Lung become so consolidated (example: during pneumonia) that it looks like the
liver on ultrasound and grossly
14.An apparent pleural line on ultrasound that does NOT exhibit a glide sign may be Pneumothorax
15.What does an interstitial lung pattern look like in a horse?: Lacy or "spider- web" appearance
16.Best sampling technique for each region of the airway: Upper respiratory tract:
Guttural pouch:
Lower resp tract (diffuse)
Lower resp tract (focal): Upper respiratory tract: nasopharyngeal swab (PCR & culture for Strep equi)
, Equine Cardiology & Respiratory Diseases Questions and Answers
Guttural pouch: guttural pouch lavage (PCR & culture for Strep equi) Lower resp tract (diffuse):
bronchoalveolar lavage (cytology)
Lower resp tract (focal): transtracheal wash (culture & cytology)
17.What type of culture should be done from a transtracheal wash sample?-
: Aerobic & Anaerobic
18.What side of the heart should be bigger in a horse?: Left
19.Normal heart rate of horse: 24 to 44 bpm
20.Perfusion parameters of horse (3): Mucous membranes, pulse palpation (sub- mandibular), distal limb/ ear
temperature
21.A pulse quality with a large difference between systolic & diastolic pres- sures: "Waterhammer" pulse
22.: Palpate submandibular pulse at same time:
If feel pulse at same time as murmur= Systolic If do not feel pulse at
time of murmur= Diastolic
23.Which heart valve can be auscultated most caudally on the left side?: Mitral valve
24.To auscultate the heart valves, typically must place your stethoscope...: -
Under the triceps muscle (get deep into the axilla, except for mitral valve on left side)
25.: Vagally mediated arrhythmia (2nd degree AV block)
26.How quickly should a heart rate elevated by exercise return to normal?: Fall minutes within 2 minutes
Normal rate by 15 minutes
27.What arrhythmia sounds like "shoes in a dryer"?: Atrial fibrillation
, Equine Cardiology & Respiratory Diseases Questions and Answers
28.General cardiac diseases of equines in order of likelihood (3): 1. Arrhyth- mias & murmurs without clinical
signs
2. Subclinical disease with vague clinical signs (poor performance)
3. Congestive heart failure (uncommon)
29.What is one of the most important aspects of diagnosis of cardiac dis- eases?: Recommendation for safe
riding or diving
30.Signs of cardiac disease (5): 1. Arrhythmias or murmurs at rest
2. Syncope or sudden death
3. Poor performance or exercise intolerance
4. Inappropriately high heart rate during exercise, increased time needed cool down time
5. Congestive heart failure signs if progress
31.What is different about the equine heartbeat?: "Gallop" sound (S3) from rapid ventricular filling
