HOW DOES INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY (IRT) WORK ON HORSES?

Thermography is a non-invasive diagnostic technique that allows the examiner to visualize and quantify changes in skin surface temperature.

The technology uses an infrared camera that measures emitted heat rather than light. It converts the heat into electrical impulses which can then be seen as a visual image called a thermogram.

The emitted heat can be directly correlated to circulation, whether it be increased or decreased circulation. Increased temperature indicate areas of inflammation while decreased temperature may indicate nerve damage or dysfunction, muscle atrophy, circulation disruption, and more. The heat emitted is represent in a variety of colours. The colors the camera displays range from white through red, for the center point of inflammation, to blues and purples, where circulation is very poor. The more emitted heat, the hotter an area. .

The infrared camera is a hand held device, making it very effective as it is portable and thus most animals can be viewed with greater ease. What the horse will experience is nothing more than a full body photo shoot!