Companion animal health Flashcards
Systematic assessment of patient health
Head to tail
If you focus on obvious you may miss subtle problems
Why do we do gradual diets
May upset digestive system if we suddenly change
How early can dental issues begin
6 months
Signs include:
Bad breath
Inappetence
Discolour
Red gums
Weight loss
Dribbling
Choking
Sensitive
Gingivitis
Inflammation round gums
Is reversible
removal of plaque to give gingiva time to reduce
Periodontitis
Results of untreated gingivitis
Irreversible
Managed with good dental care
Removal of teeth
Principle of dental hygiene
Educate public
Tooth brushing
Commercial diets
Enzyme toothpaste
Chews/toys
Herbal remedies
Water additives
Vet descale
Teeth rasping
Horses rabbits and other rodents have teeth that continuously erupt
They require checking and rasping/cutting at different intervals
Parasite control - endoparasites and ectoparasites
Endo is living internal worm
Ecto is living external fleas
Worming puppies
From 2 weeks (due to parasite in milk) till 8 weeks for every 2 weeks
Monthly till 6 months old
Adult worming program (dependent on area) monthly/3monthly/6monthly
Life cycle of tapeworms
6 months
Ectoparasite treatment (fleas tics etc)
Spot on
Tablets
Treats
(Some are monthly some are more - based on manufacture)
Horse worming
Worm resistance in horses
Only worm to effect
Worm egg counts
Poo pick frequently
Correct weight to dose correct amount
Testing for tapeworm
Blood test
Saliva test
Can’t see in worm egg counts
Treating Lice and feather mites in horse
Topical treatments
Injections
E.canniculi in rabbits (worms)
Protozoa cartied in urine with fatal consequences
Effects nervous system spinal cord
Head tilt
Can’t eat
Can be caught early and treated
Blow fly (maggots) in rabbits and sheep (fly strike)
Flies lay eggs in wet damp fur
Eggs hatch
Maggots start eating flesh and injecting toxics
Happens within hours
Reasons we vaccinate
Train body to prevent sickness by giving a strain of the sickness so immune system is ready
Dog vaccinations
Leptospirosis
Hepatitis
Distemper
Parvovirus
Kennel cough dog vaccinations
Parainfluenza
Bordetella
When to do puppy vaccinations
8 weeks then 12 weeks
Should be weaned after 8 weeks as want to build own immune response not relying on milk
Boosters every 12 months
First vaccination for kittens
8-9 weeks then 3/4 weeks after
Then yearly booster
Cat vaccinations
Calici virus and herpes virus (cat flu)
Leukaemia (FeLV)
Panleukopenia
Rabies
Dogs cats and ferrets not standard in uk only if travelling
Parvovirus
Fatal disease
Spread by contaminated feces
V+d
Quickly dehydrate then Die
Remain in environment for 9 months
Distemper
Spread by saliva and urine
Leptospirosis
Spreads quickly
Organ failure
Horses vaccination
Equine herpes virus - neurological (fatal) and respiratory
Equine influenza - standard
Tetanus - standard
Strangles’ vaccination
Rabbit vaccinations
Myxomatosis
Viral haemorrhagic disease (VHD)/ Rabbits haemorrhagic disease(RHD) 1&2
When to vaccinate for Equine influenza and tetanus
5 months old then 21-92 days later
Alright to compete after 2nd
3rd vaccine 150-215 days after
Yearly boosters
No longer than 365 days after if so then restart whole process
Strangles vaccination
Spread via sneezing
VHD
Fatal
Carry on clothes
When to vaccinate rabbits
5weeks old combo of all 3 (not all programmes have this)
Booster yearly
Grooming
Depends on pet/breed
hair length/type
Life stage
Show animals
Ask permissions first
When to groom pets for them
Arthritis
Buster collar being worn
When can’t reach
Feline hair types
Down hair -soft silky undercoat
Awn hair - secondary hair slightly coarser/longer traps air for insulation
Guard hair- longer hair again to keep underlayers dry (coat colour)
Vibrissae - whiskers
Long hair cat
Persian 2-5 inches long
Short hair cat
Burmese, short hair, 1-2 inches
Hairless cat
Sphynx - light down on coat not truly hairless
Curly haired cat
Devon Rex - genetic mutation £££
Non shedding
Long coated dog
Afghan hounds
Setters
Medium coated dogs
Retriever
German shepherds
Short coated dogs
Boxers
Dobermans
Double coated dogs
Short undercoat
Longer outer coat
Bernese mountain dog
Husky
Single coated dogs
Get cold need coat
Whippets
Lurchers
Curly coated dogs
Tight curls - matted
Poodles
Portuguese water dog
Silky coated dogs
Irish setter
Afghan hound
Yorkies
Rough coated dog
Rough collie - double coated
Coarse to touch
Wire coated dogs
Wirehaired terrier
Smooth coated dogs
Dalmatian
Boxers
Hairless dogs
Chinese crested
Some areas completely hairless
Grooming birds
Feather plucking due to stress
Or picked on by others
Environment
Nutrition
Social structure
Grooming small mammals
Based on hair length
Fairly often to prevent matting or any hair balls
Fly strike
Grooming horses
Everytime tacking up (mud)
Everyday
Grooming kit each (non spread)
Clipping
Remove Mats
Maintain coat
Styling
Keep cool
Lose weight (horse)
Foot care
Environmental factors (ware down themselves)
Vet care
Dew claws (should be removed if catch on things)
Nail trimming
Kwik is blood supply in nails
Gets longer if nail gets longer
Will recede if file or clip little and often
Hoof care
Hoof picking daily
Trimming 6-8 weeks
5-6 weeks shoes
Horseshoes
Fullered concave shoe -Steel (most common)
Racing plate (aluminium) light
Remedial bar shoes (Frog support)
Hospital plates (screw on and off)
Draught horses needs larger weight bearing surface
Exercise and mobility examples
Hydrotherapy
Walks
Pole work
Fun/enrichment
Massages
ROM
Why exercise and mobility changes
Age
Illness
Weight gain/loss
Diet
Main considerations for exercise and mobility of reptiles
Display natural behaviour
Size of enclosure and enrichment is adequate
Branches, water baths etc for exercise
Considerations for exercise and mobility of birds
Cage is big enough
Clipping wings to prevent escape or to train
Flying racing pigeons
Daily exercise
Climbing frames
Hunting behaviours mimicked (birds of prey)
Exercise and mobility for small mammals
Time out of enclosure
Ball/wheels
Big enough environment
Indoors and outdoors
