THE USE OF EEG AND ECG AMBULATORY TECHNIQUE IN HORSES - PRELIMINARY-OBSERVATIONS

The use of the Ambulatory EEG/ECG technique in equine veterinary pract ice is here proposed. This technique allows the direct recording of EE G/ECG activity over a long period of time in the animal's normal envir onment. The cerebral and cardiac electrical activity of twelve adult s tallions was monitored during their normal daily activities, including periods of wakefulness, drowsiness and light sleep. The data were sto red in magnetic cassettes of a small recorder. Subsequently these cass ettes were analysed in the central unit of a computer equipped with a specific software; during the analysis biological and technical artefa cts were identified and differentiated from EEG/ECG activity. During w akefulness EEG was characterised by mixed theta, alpha and beta activi ty. Slower rhythms, however, mainly theta and delta in frequency, were observed during drowsiness and light sleep. These patterns were very similar to those reported in literature and obtained in traditional la boratories. Since the animals were not restrained during recordings, s everal artefacts were obtained. These did not prevent any interpretati on of the tracings, but on the contrary occasionally produced useful r esults for the analysis of animal behaviour. Results suggest that the Ambulatory EEG/ECG technique may represent a useful tool in the invest igation of the animal's clinical status. Moreover, as carrying out thi s technique does not require the transferral of the horse to specific laboratories, it can be used for other studies, for example concerning the behaviour and the general welfare of the horse.