We have our horses auscultated (hearts listened to) for multiple reasons. During prepurchase examinations, we listen to the heart before and after exercise. When a horse is colicing, we listen to the heart rate so we know how painful they are. And before we sedate horses for dentals, we listen to their hearts to make sure they don’t have a murmur that could compromise recovery from sedation.
Vet Report: How to handle heart murmurs in horses
Mallorie Hicks leads her horse through a barn at her Tracy, Minn., farm. She shows horses and breeds rabbits for 4-H.
