When to use Veterinary Infrared Digital Imaging

Thermography is proving to have a wide and ever-increasing range of applications in the veterinary field. It has been most visible in the equine field where there is long standing published research proving the technology's effectiveness in early detection of tendon/ligament/joint problems and with identifying the site of back and muscle injury. Dr Tracey Turner DVM, who has worked with thermography for nearly 30 years, is the most published of veterinary thermographers and much of his work can be found on the net.

More recent work is proving invaluable in the early identification of inflammatory conditions in feet.

Thermography has also proved to be an excellent way to monitor fertility in bulls, while vets at the University of Wisconsin are able to conclusively confirm (at this stage fairly advanced) pregnancy in mares from the thermographic readings of highly concentrated number of blood vessels around the placenta.

Fascinating work, however, is coming from zoo vets around the world.

Thermography is a non-invasive means with which to monitor the health and physiological status of animals through the detection of thermal symmetry or asymmetry of body temperature surface gradients.

As this imaging can be conducted from a distance (the launch of a new 640 x 480 pixel camera means not only double the existing resolution but a greater ability to get excellent definition from a distance) it has great potential for assessing animal health where non-contact situations are preferred.

Infrared imaging can indicate inflammatory conditions such as infections, soft tissue injury, muscle spasms or imbalance and arthritis. It identifies circulatory problems and helps identify trapped nerves.

In the veterinary field it clearly shows how the animal is compensating for an injury, which means further trauma because of compensation can be avoided.

Infrared imaging can be used to identify problems before they manifest. The mammalian body is very good at coping with stresses and strains and therefore pain does not always appear immediately after an injury.

Infrared imaging can remove guesswork and allow a pro-active approach to animal health.

Ten top reasons to use Veterinary Infrared Digital Imaging

• helps to specifically locate injuries, particularly when a variety of symptoms are present and/or unclear, ensuring primary areas of concern are treated first

• helps identify injuries to top limb musculature as well as helping to pinpoint problems in the back – once located, ultrasound can further define the pathology

• is invaluable in the diagnosis of many neurological problems which would otherwise be incorrectly diagnosed or overlooked

• is the only practical means of differentiating between the common lameness associated with sympathetic neurological response and the much less common vascular causes of the same clinical symptoms

• produces an easily understood pictorial representation of the various injured areas

• enables you to understand how several injuries may actually exist as the animal has attempted to compensate for the original and/or primary problem

• helps you understand why long periods of rest may be needed before healing has progressed to the point where normal work may resume without danger of re-injury

• is invaluable in giving you confidence that the problem has been correctly located and the right treatment is taking place

• helps you to visualize the progress that is occurring as treatment progresses and/or the need to change the treatment

• means treatment is directed to exactly the right location from initiation.