It is a very effective and unique diagnostic procedure. It is non-invasive. This means that the horse doesn’t need to be touched and a scan can be taken from a distance of 10 metres away, and repeated as many times as required, without causing any damage.
This procedure is brilliantly suited for investigating areas such as
- Tendons
- Ligaments
- Hoof abscesses
- Sensitive soles
- Joints (unequal load distribution / overloading)
- Tooth inflammation
In this case the difference between the right and left side is very important. The temperature scale is only taken into account in the case of noticeable anomalies.
According to an American study, thermographic investigation can detect disease patterns 4 weeks before a person can detect them through palpation.