COURSE DESCRIPTION

When confronted with heart murmurs and ECG abnormalities in racing Thoroughbreds and elite equine athletes, many equine practitioners find the assessment of exercise-associated conditions and risk prediction particularly challenging. This in-depth and interactive course with Dr. Celia Marr (Rossdales Equine Hospital, UK), one of the world’s most highly recognised equine internists with extensive experience in cardiology, is designed to provide general and advanced equine practitioners with a structured and highly clinically relevant approach to the diagnosis, interpretation and significance of cardiac findings in racing Thoroughbreds and other elite performance horses.

Under Dr. Marr’s supervision attendees will develop confidence in selecting, setting up and utilising ECG exercise monitoring devices, interpreting exercising ECGs systematically, and assessing the clinical relevance of arrhythmias in relation to performance, safety and prognosis. The course will also cover cardiac auscultation, the principles of echocardiography, and the interpretation of cardiac findings across different equine populations, with specific focus on racing Thoroughbreds and elite equine athletes.  The extensive cardiology experience of Dr. Marr, combined with an interactive and discussion-based learning environment, will encourage open exchange and support the application of knowledge in everyday clinical practice.

Day 1 & 2 cover interactive lectures, extensive case-based discussions and ECG-focused sessions, allowing attendees to work through real-life clinical scenarios. The following topics will be covered in well-illustrated lectures and discussions (with Japanese Translation):

• ECG Monitoring during Exercise – Equipment, Setup, Advantages & Limitations
• Step-by-Step Interpretation of Exercise ECGs
• Exercise Arrhythmias – Assessment, Clinical Relevance & Management
• Atrial Fibrillation – Sustained & Paroxysmal Forms, Treatment & Prognosis
• Exercise-Associated Sudden Cardiac Death – Risk Factors & Prevention
• Cardiac Auscultation – Description & Assessment of Murmurs Horses
• Introduction to Echocardiography – Principles & Clinical Application
• Pathophysiology of Valvular Disease and Cardiac Dysfunction
• Cardiac Findings in Pre-Purchase Examinations
• Cardiology Audio Lab – Recognition & Interpretation of Cardiac Sounds
• Cardiac Disease in Foals, Stallions & Older Athletes  

On Day 3, there will be an optional echocardiography workshop of almost 3 hours, combined with an in-depth echocardiography lecture of 1 ½ hours. This highly practical add-on is designed to complement the lecture programme and provides hands-on experience in small groups (max. 4–6 attendees per machine) on live horses under specialist supervision of Drs. Celia Marr (UK) and Tsukasa Suzuki (Shadai Horse Clinic, JPN). Participants will gain experience in:

• Acquisition of echocardiographic images on live horses
• Optimisation of image quality & technique
• Standard imaging planes & measurement techniques
• Interpretation of echocardiographic findings in a clinical context

The course fee includes coffee/tea breaks, extensive electronic course notes and a certificate of attendance. On the evening of the second day all attendees are invited to attend the drinks & snacks reception. Attendees can choose to only attend the lectures (= Lectures Only = Day 1 & Day 2) on this course or can register for the entire course (= Lectures & Practical Sessions, Day 1 & Day 2 at School of Veterinary Science, Morinomiya Campus, Osaka Metropolitan University and 4 hours on Day 3 at Riding Club Crane Osaka (Self-transport)). Early course registration is recommended as there are only a limited number of places available.