What is Thermography?

Thermography is the use of a thermographic imaging camera which houses infrared imaging science to give a visual representation of the temperature of an object.  By using a colour scale, we can clearly see the heat variations of an object / person / animal in the image, this image is called a thermogram. 

How we use thermography in the equine world

Thermography is useful for the horse owner, veterinarian and equine therapist as it can detect very slight changes in temperature.  The human hand can detect an increase in temperature of approximately 2-3º whereas an infrared camera can detect differences of 0.5º. 

DETECTION

Thermography can highlight an area of inflammation before there is any clinical evidence such as lameness or swollen joints and can explain a reduction in the horse’s performance or changes in behaviour. 

By detecting an area of injury or disease early we greatly reduce the risk of significant injury or disease as it allows it to be treated before a condition develops into something much more serious.

PREVENTION

Prevention is better than a cure. Regular scanning of a horse even if no issues are present, or scanning a horse after an event is invaluable for early detection of potential problems – identifying an injury as early as possible is the key to preventing further trauma.

MONITORING RECOVERY

Thermography can play a big part in the healing process, continued monitoring of an injury using thermographic imaging allows us to assess how an injury is responding to treatment and enables the workload of the horse to be adapted so that it is not returned to work before it is safe to do so.