Basic Physical Exam

Question 1

What does SOAP stand for?

Answer 1

• Subjective examination
• Objective examination
• Assessment
• Plan

Question 2

Compare a subjective and objective examination

Answer 2

Subjective = things you cant measure
Objective = things you can measure

Question 3

What is involved in the assessment and plan stages?

Answer 3

• Analyse your findings

- Prioritise your findings and plan what to do next

Question 4

When performing a subjective examination what information needs to be gathered?

Answer 4

• History
• Signalment: breed, age, sex
• Demeanour
• Posture and gait
• Body condition score

Question 5

Give some examples of different demeanours an animal might show

Answer 5

• Bright, alert and responsive (BAR)
• Quiet, alert and responsive (QAR)
• Torpid (mentally or physically inactive, lethargic)
• Stupor (a state of near unconscious)
• Unconscious

Question 6

Which parts of the body do you use to assess BCS?

Answer 6

Ribs
Lumbar vertebrae
Pelvic bones
Waist
Abdominal tuck

Question 7

The objective examination is also know as …?

Answer 7

The physical examination

Question 8

What are some different methodical methods used to perform a physical exam?

Answer 8

• Anatomically e.g. cranial to caudal
• Physiologically i.e. work through the body systems
• Combination

Question 9

When looking at the animal as a whole during a physical examination, what can you assess?

Answer 9

• Symmetry
• Lumps and bumps
• Muscling
• Skin/coat condition
• Palpation of lymph nodes

Question 10

When looking at the head of the animal during a physical exam, what can you assess?

Answer 10

• Symmetry
• Eyes
• Nose: condition, discharge, airflow
• Oral cavity: teeth, tongue, mm colour, CRT
• Ears
• Cranial nerves
• Lymph nodes

Question 11

When looking at the thorax of the animal during a physical exam, what can you assess?

Answer 11

• Neck: jugular distention, prescapular lymph node
• CV system
• Respiratory system

Question 12

What are you looking for when examining the CV system?

Answer 12

• Heart rate
• Heart rhythm
• Pulses

Question 13

What are you looking for when examining the respiratory system?

Answer 13

• Respiratory rate
• Respiratory rhythm
• Percussion

Question 14

The heart is located in the sternum between which ribs?

Answer 14

3-6

Question 15

Which anatomical structure aligns with the level of the 5th costo-chondral junction?

Answer 15

Olecranon when the animal is standing square

Question 16

Name the 4 heart values and where they are loacted

Answer 16

• Pulmonary = LHS, 3rd intercostal space
• Aortic = LHS, 4th intercostal space
• Mitral = LHS, 5th intercostal space
• Tricuspid = RHS, 4th intercostal space

Question 17

What are the terms used to describe a faster and slower heart rate compared to normal?

Answer 17

Tachycardia

Bradycardia

Question 18

What is the normal HR of:

• A dog
• A cat

Answer 18

Dog = 70-160bpm
Cat = 120-220

Question 19

What are the anatomical borders of the lungs?

Answer 19

• Cranially = thoracic limb
• Caudally = diaphragm
• Dorsally = vertebral column and axial muscles
• Ventrally = sternum

Question 20

What is the normal RR for:

• A dog
• A cat

Answer 20

• 10-30brpm

- 20-30brpm

Question 21

Name some abdominal lung sounds you might hear

Answer 21

• Crackles
• Wheezes
• Stridor (high pitch tone during respiration)

Question 22

Describe percussion

Answer 22

The technique of tapping the thoracic wall to identify areas of dullness, either with or without the stethoscope.

Question 23

What can percussion of the lungs help identify?

Answer 23

• solid masses (tumours of abscesses)

- Fluid lines (pneumonia)

Question 24

How will percussion sound different when listening to the heart vs the lungs?

Answer 24

Percussing over the lungs will sound slightly tympanic (hollow) as they are air-filled, but percussing over the heart will sound slightly dull as it is fluid-filled – this is referred to the area of cardiac dullness

Question 25

When you auscultate the abdomen what can you listen for?

Answer 25

Motility of the GI system

Question 26

Where in the abdomen can be palpated?

Answer 26

• Liver: caudal border
• SI, colon
• Spleen (left side)
• Kidneys
• Bladder

Question 27

At the caudal area of the animal, what can be examined?

Answer 27

• External genitalia
• Mammary glands
• Skin
• Anal glands

Question 28

What should always be the last step of a physical examination?

Answer 28

Taking an animals temperature

Question 29

What are the normal temperatures of:

• a dog
• a cat

Answer 29

dog = 37.9 - 39.9
cat = 38.1 - 39.2