Equine Ultrasound Scanning
Portable diagnostic imaging to help assess tendon, ligament, muscle and other soft tissue conditions in horses.
BOOK A VET
Equine ultrasound scanning
Ultrasound is an important diagnostic imaging tool used to assess soft tissues and other structures within the horse.
At Racetrack Veterinary Services, our veterinarians use portable ultrasound equipment to investigate injuries and conditions involving tendons, ligaments, muscles, joints and other soft tissue structures.
Because the equipment is portable, many ultrasound examinations can be performed at the horse’s stable, training facility, farm or competition venue where appropriate.
Ultrasound images are viewed in real time, allowing our veterinarians to assess the structure being examined and determine whether further investigation, treatment or monitoring may be required.
How ultrasound can help
Assess tendons, ligaments, muscles and other soft tissue structures.
Support lameness investigations and reduced-performance assessments.
Monitor tendon and ligament healing during rehabilitation.
Provide portable imaging at suitable equine facilities.
When does a horse need an ultrasound?
Ultrasound may be recommended when investigating:
- Tendon injuries
- Ligament injuries
- Soft tissue swelling
- Muscle injuries
- Joint or tendon sheath abnormalities
- Suspected tears or fibre disruption
- Lameness
- Reduced performance
- Monitoring of an existing injury
- Rehabilitation progress
- Certain abdominal, thoracic or reproductive conditions
Ultrasound is often used alongside a clinical examination, flexion tests, diagnostic nerve or joint blocks and radiography to help identify the cause of lameness or poor performance.
Tendon & ligament ultrasound
Ultrasound is particularly useful for assessing tendons and ligaments.
In performance and racehorses, these structures are placed under considerable strain and may be affected by acute injury, repetitive loading or degenerative change.
Common structures examined include
- Superficial digital flexor tendon
- Deep digital flexor tendon
- Suspensory ligament
- Suspensory branches
- Check ligaments
- Collateral ligaments
- Tendon sheaths and associated soft tissues
Ultrasound can help assess the size, shape and fibre pattern of these structures and identify abnormalities such as swelling, fibre disruption or changes associated with previous injury.
Ultrasound for lameness investigations
During a lameness investigation, ultrasound may be recommended once the veterinarian has identified a particular region of concern.
Diagnostic nerve blocks or joint blocks may sometimes be used first to help localise the source of pain.
Ultrasound can then provide more detailed information about the soft tissues within that area.
This can be especially valuable when radiographs do not fully explain the horse’s lameness, as X-rays are generally better suited to assessing bone while ultrasound provides more information about soft tissues.
Monitoring tendon and ligament injuries
One of the most valuable uses of ultrasound is monitoring healing over time.
Repeat ultrasound examinations allow our veterinarians to assess changes in the injured tissue and determine how healing is progressing.
This information can help guide rehabilitation programs, including:
- Walking programs
- Controlled exercise
- Gradual return to ridden work
- Increasing training intensity
- Return to racing or competition
Tendon and ligament injuries often require carefully managed rehabilitation, and decisions should be based on the individual horse rather than time alone.
Serial ultrasound examinations can provide useful objective information to support these decisions.
Racehorse & performance horse ultrasound
Racetrack Veterinary Services regularly performs ultrasound examinations on racehorses and performance horses.
Ultrasound may be used to investigate:
- Sudden lameness
- Tendon swelling
- Suspensory injuries
- Reduced performance
- Post-race or post-training concerns
- Soft tissue injuries
- Rehabilitation progress
- Previous injuries before returning to full work
Early assessment of suspected soft tissue injury can be particularly important in high-performance horses.
If you notice heat, swelling, sensitivity or a change in your horse’s gait, contacting our team of veterinarians promptly may help identify the problem before further damage occurs.
Ultrasound-guided procedures
Ultrasound may also be used to help guide certain veterinary procedures.
Real-time imaging allows the veterinarian to visualise the target structure and assist with accurate placement during selected procedures.
Depending on the horse’s condition, ultrasound guidance may be used during some injections, diagnostic procedures or treatments.
Our team of veterinarians will discuss whether an ultrasound-guided procedure is appropriate for your horse.
What happens during an ultrasound examination?
The area being examined may need to be clipped so that the ultrasound probe can make good contact with the skin and produce clear diagnostic images.
Ultrasound gel or alcohol is applied to the area before the probe is moved across the skin.
Our team of veterinarians will examine the structure from different angles and may compare it with the same structure in the opposite limb.
The horse generally needs to stand quietly during the examination.
In some cases, light sedation may be recommended to improve safety and image quality.
Does my horse need to be clipped?
Often, yes.
Clipping the hair allows the ultrasound probe to make better contact with the skin and generally produces clearer images.
For some examinations, satisfactory images may be possible without clipping, but this depends on the area being assessed, hair length and the quality of imaging required.
Our team of veterinarians will advise whether clipping is necessary.
Ultrasound or X-ray – what is the difference?
Ultrasound and radiography provide different types of information.
Ultrasound is particularly useful for
- Tendons
- Ligaments
- Muscles
- Fluid-filled structures
- Some joint structures
- Soft tissue injuries
Radiography is particularly useful for
- Bones
- Fractures
- Bone remodelling
- Osteoarthritis
- Certain joint abnormalities
In many lameness cases, both imaging techniques may be required to build a more complete picture of the problem.
Can ultrasound detect every injury?
No single imaging technique can detect every injury.
Some injuries may be located too deeply or within areas that are difficult to assess effectively with ultrasound.
Depending on the findings, Our team of veterinarians may recommend additional investigations such as:
- Radiography
- Diagnostic nerve or joint blocks
- Nuclear scintigraphy
- MRI
- CT
- Specialist diagnostic imaging
- Referral for further investigation
The most appropriate imaging method depends on the suspected injury and the anatomical area involved.
Frequently asked questions
What can equine ultrasound detect?
Ultrasound is particularly useful for identifying abnormalities affecting tendons, ligaments, muscles and other soft tissue structures.
Is ultrasound painful for horses?
The ultrasound scan itself is non-invasive and is generally well tolerated. Some injured areas may already be sensitive or painful when examined.
Does my horse need sedation?
Not always. Many horses stand quietly for ultrasound examinations, although light sedation may be recommended for safety or to obtain better-quality images.
How long does an ultrasound examination take?
This depends on the area being examined and the complexity of the problem. A focused examination of a single structure may be relatively quick, while a more detailed assessment can take longer.
How often should an injured tendon be rescanned?
The timing of repeat scans depends on the severity and type of injury and the horse’s rehabilitation progress. Our team of veterinarians will recommend an appropriate reassessment schedule.
Can ultrasound tell me when my horse can return to work?
Ultrasound provides important information about tissue healing, but return-to-work decisions are usually based on a combination of clinical examination, imaging findings, the type of injury and the horse’s intended workload.
Can ultrasound be performed at my stable?
In many cases, yes. Portable ultrasound equipment allows our veterinarians to perform examinations at suitable stables, training facilities and farms.
Does my horse need to be clipped?
Often, yes. Clipping usually helps the probe make better contact with the skin and produce clearer images. Our team of veterinarians will advise whether it is needed for the examination.
Need advice about your horse? Contact our veterinary team.
Book an equine ultrasound examination
If your horse has developed swelling, lameness, sensitivity or reduced performance, an ultrasound examination may help identify whether a tendon, ligament or other soft tissue structure is involved.
Racetrack Veterinary Services provides mobile equine ultrasound services for racehorses, performance horses and pleasure horses across the Mornington Peninsula and greater Melbourne.
Contact our team to arrange an assessment or discuss whether ultrasound is appropriate for your horse.
BOOK A VET ☎ 03 5975 6586