Equine Digital Thermal Imaging – Digatherm

Wouldn’t it be great if we could see where our horse’s pain is coming from? If we could see the functioning of the body instead of just the structure like we see in radiographs? With Equine digital thermal imaging, we can see exactly that. The Digatherm® system that we have is an infrared camera with state of the art medical imaging software. The science is based on the theory that every object with a temperature greater than absolute zero emits electromagnetic energy either from itself or reflected back from other energy sources. This means that areas of inflammation in the body will be of a higher temperature than non-inflamed areas since a hallmark of inflammation is increased blood flow to the affected area.

During a lameness exam we palpate the limbs. An inflamed area will palpate warmer than the same area on the opposite limb, but for that temperature change to be apparent to our hand, it needs to be more than 3 degrees. The Digatherm® software is sensitive to a single degree. It picks up inflammation often before it becomes clinically obvious, i.e. before it results in lameness. Another scientific theory that supports the use of this equipment is that animals are thermally symmetrical – the same thermal image should be found on the right and the left sides of the body.

We use the scanner at the beginning of every lameness, decreased performance, or pre-purchase exam. It often shows us the location of the problem. Several horses that we have evaluated for lameness have had massive muscle inflammation at the time of the exam. Muscle soreness can be very difficult to diagnose because there may not be a specific lameness per se, but the horse is simply not moving well or has a mild shifting leg lameness. If we find generalized muscle inflammation, we may treat the horse for several days with anti-inflammatories and muscle relaxants and then scan him again. Hopefully we will see improvement after treatment. Knowing we are on the right path, treatment will continue for the appropriate length of time.

Another excellent application of DTI is for evaluation of saddle fit. We scan the horse’s back, have the rider work him for twenty minutes and rescan the back and the underside of the saddle. Asymmetric or abnormal changes in temperature indicate abnormal pressure by the saddle.

A decrease in temperature is also useful information to find. It might indicate a mass, hematoma, nervous system issue, or scar tissue. As has occurred in some pre-purchase exams, a decrease in temperature can also indicate a recent nerve block or the injection of Banamine. Very useful information to have if someone has medicated away a problem for the purchase exam.

Danielle Bercier DVM CCRP has also completed training in the University of Tennessee’s CCRP program and is a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner. We are pleased to offer animal rehabilitation to the pets and vets of Baldwin County. Please see our website, http://www.k9strong.org/, for more information on these services.

Although a devout workaholic, Dr. Bercier enjoys training and competing German Shepherd Dogs. Fortunately her working dogs are also workaholics, so they all get along well!

Danielle Bercier DVM CCRP, Equine Medicine, Horse VET in Alabama