Ultrasound examination is a fantastic way of being able to see soft tissue structures, such as tendons and ligaments, that could not otherwise be observed.  We have a portable digital ultrasound machine, equipped with the latest probe, to allow high quality digital imaging.

Our most frequent use of the machine is for tendon and ligament problems, where the images can not only help diagnosis, and guide treatment, but also allows for a much more accurate prognosis for your horse.  Other areas that can be scanned include eyes, muscles, lumps, lungs and the abdomen.

We also own a separate machine with a special rectal probe, which we use for reproductive work.  This allows us to see a mare’s entire reproductive tract, and is very useful for pre-breeding checks, artificial insemination (AI) and pregnancy checks.

How Does Ultrasound Work?

Ultrasound machines work by sending out extremely high frequencies of sound, and then recording how those sound waves are reflected.  This is similar to the way in which radar and sonar work, just over distances many times smaller.  Sound waves are sent into tissue, and different tissues reflect ultrasound waves differently.  Dense tissues such as bone reflect nearly 100% of the waves that hit them, so we see an extremely bright white line, with darkness underneath.  The darkness (known as an acoustic shadow) occurs because no sound waves can pass through the surface of the bone.  On the other hand, water reflects no sound waves, so appears totally black.  Tendons, ligaments and internal organs reflect differing amounts of sound, largely dependent on their water content.