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A small area of hair should be clipped from the lower thoracic wall over the apex beat on each side. At this site there is minimal interface from air filled lung. It is possible to examine the heart with the animal sitting or standing if it becomes distressed in lateral recumbency. Place the probe in an intercostal space over the apex beat on the right, and angle the transducer cranio-dorsally. With the plane of beam approximately parallel with the sternum, a short axis view of heart will be achieved. Rotation of the transducer through 90° should produce a long axis view. The precise position and angulation of transducer will vary between individuals, depending upon body confirmation and the size and shape of heart. By altering the plane of section of beam, all the cardiac chambers, the valves and outflow tracts can be identified. Repeat the examination from the left side of thorax if needed.
Normal appearance: Identify the right and left ventricles, the right and left atria, the inter-ventricular septum, the right and left atrio-ventricular valves, the aortic outflow and the pulmonary outflow. Since movement of the structures can be seen it is possible to make an assessment of cardiac motility.
Ultrasound of a normal canine heart.
PHYSICS OF ULTRASOUND| MERITS| LIMITATIONS| EYE| HEART| LIVER| SPLEEN| KIDNEY| BLADDER AND PROSTRATE| PANCREAS| GI TRACT| TESTIS| REPRODUCTION AND OBSTETRICS