Musculoskeletal Assessment of Forelimbs and Hindlimbs in Mounted Police Horses using Infrared Thermography

Infrared thermography (IRT) has become established as a complementary tool in equine veterinary medicine, allowing for the early detection of thermal changes associated with musculoskeletal inflammatory processes.

This study aimed to apply infrared thermography to characterize the surface thermal profile of the forelimbs and hindlimbs of mounted police horses, considering clinical classification, anatomical region, body side, and repeated evaluations over time.

The research was conducted at the Military Police Cavalry in Manaus (AM), Brazil, involving 20 adult horses submitted to thermographic evaluations of the forelimbs and hindlimbs, using a HIKVISION DS-2TP31B-3AUF camera. Images were obtained under standardized environmental conditions. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and linear mixed models, with a significance level of 5%.

The overall mean surface temperature was 39.31°C, while adjusted mean values across anatomical regions, limb sides, and clinical classifications ranged from 37.82°C to 42.05°C. A significant effect of the anatomical region was observed, with higher temperatures in the coronary band compared to the metacarpus/metatarsus (p < 0.05). Horses classified as clinically affected presented higher mean thermal values than clinically normal horses, showing a consistent difference between clinical classifications.

It is concluded that infrared thermography is a non-invasive method capable of identifying thermal variations associated with potential musculoskeletal inflammatory processes, presenting potential applicability in the clinical monitoring of working horses.