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→Recording an ECG
'''The colour coding system:'''
'''The colour coding system:'''
:<font color = "yellow">Yellow (positive): '''Left forelimb'''</font color>
:<font color = "yellow">'''Yellow (positive): Left forelimb'''</font color>
:<font color = "red">Red (negative):''' Right forelimb'''</font color>
:<font color = "red">'''Red (negative): Right forelimb'''</font color>
:<font color = "green">Green: Left hindlimb</font color>
:<font color = "green">'''Green: Left hindlimb'''</font color>
:'''Black: Right hindlimb'''
:'''Black: Right hindlimb'''
The ECG should be recorded in a '''calm and quiet environment'''. The patient should be kept as '''still and relaxed''' as possible as '''muscle tremors and movement''' can cause '''artifacts''' on the trace. In horses the ECG is recorded '''standing'''. Dogs should be placed in '''right lateral recumbency''' but positioning in a cat is less important. The cables should be positioned so that they do not drape over the animals chest as they can cause '''respiratory movement artifact'''. Electrical activity can cause interference on the ECG trace (known as '''50Hz interference'''). To prevent this it should be taken on an '''insulated surface''' away from fluorescent lighting, computers and other electrical equipment. A '''Holter''' ECG can be used in both small and large animal to record the electrical activity of the heart over 24 hours or during exercise.
The ECG should be recorded in a '''calm and quiet environment'''. The patient should be kept as '''still and relaxed''' as possible as '''muscle tremors and movement''' can cause '''artifacts''' on the trace. In horses the ECG is recorded '''standing'''. Dogs should be placed in '''right lateral recumbency''' but positioning in a cat is less important. The cables should be positioned so that they do not drape over the animals chest as they can cause '''respiratory movement artifact'''. Electrical activity can cause interference on the ECG trace (known as '''50Hz interference'''). To prevent this it should be taken on an '''insulated surface''' away from fluorescent lighting, computers and other electrical equipment. A '''Holter''' ECG can be used in both small and large animal to record the electrical activity of the heart over 24 hours or during exercise.
'''Chemical restraint''' should be '''avoided''' if at all possible as this changes the ECG.
'''Chemical restraint''' should be '''avoided''' if at all possible as this changes the ECG.
==Reading an ECG Trace==
==Reading an ECG Trace==