Echocardiography and Abdominal ultrasonography in horses

Theoretical and practical workshop: Theoretical First Session_Abdominal Ultrasound. Technical indications about the instrumentation (ultrasound machine, probes, and their technical characteristics), the scanning methods and the normal ultrasonographic pictures of the different abdominal organs, are provided. Furthermore, the FLASH (Fast Localized Abdominal Sonography of the Horse) abdominal scan technique and the specific indications to be used in colic horses are described. Theoretical Second Session_Echocardiography. Technical indications about the instrumentation (ultrasound machine, probes, and their technical characteristics), the standard acustic windows, 2-dimensional, M-mode, Doppler flow examination techniques and the normal echocardiographic pictures are provided. The clinical indication for echocardiography use are also described. Practical Third Session_Abdominal Ultrasound and Echocardiography. Different pathological pictures were described. Abnormal abdominal ultrasound patterns of stomach, small and large intestine, liver, spleen, kidney and urinary bladder were discussed interactively with participants. Several clinical case of cardiac congenital disease, cardiac murmurs, arrhythmias, etc. were presented. The clinical presentation, elettrocardiographic and echocardiographic findings, diagnosis and prognosis were discussed with participants.