Abstract:
Aiming to establish the echocardiographic reference values of cardiac dimensions and indexes in horses of the Mangalarga Marchador breed, 80 horses, weighing 320 to 500 kg, that were divided in four group by gender and age, as follows: 1.6 to 4-year-old females (G1), more than 4-year-old females (G2), 1.6 to 4-year-old males (G3) and above 4-year-old males (G4), were evaluated by standardized technique. The evaluation consisted of B-mode and guided M-mode echocardiography, by which the following measurements were made: from the right cardiac window, by B- and M-mode: systolic and diastolic RVID, IVS, LVID, LVFW, Aod, FS% and EF%, by B-mode: Las, Aod, and Las/Aod, by M-mode: S-E point, from left cardiac window, by B- and M-mode: LVIDs, LVIDd, FS% and EF% and by B-mode: Las. There were statistic differences between means of the four groups for the following parameters: Aod, Las, RVIDs, RVIDd, IVSs, IVSd, LVIDs, LVIDd, LVFWs, LVFWd, Vs, Vd. There were statistic correlations between Aod, Las, IVSs, IVSd, LVFWs, LVFWd, Vd and age; Aod, Las, IVs, IVSd, LVIDd, LVFWs, Las/Aod and bodyweight and thoracic perimeter; and Aod, LAs, IVSs, IVSd, LVIDs, LVFWs, Vd and height. Sex and age group influenced the reference values for the Mangalarga Marchador horses; males above 4 years presented higher ventricular measurement values. Height, weight and age of the horses influenced in the same way the results, all being positively related to the size of the cardiac structure.
Index Terms:
Equine; horses; echocardiography; Mangalarga Marchador
