Dysponeic cat Flashcards
What are the first steps to take when admitting a dyspneoic cat?
Brief clinical history trauma/toxins
Oxygenate
Hands off!
Minimal stress until stable
What should you observe in a dyspneoic cat?
Respiration effort and rate Any patterns Auscultation of lungs Percussion Cranial rib spring Assessment of oxygenation
What does increased inspiratory effort suggest?
Upper airway obstruction
What does increased expiratory effort suggest?
Lower airway obstruction (asthma)
What does a slow laboured breathing pattern suggest?
Parenchymal disease
What does rapid shallow breathing suggest?
Pleural space or early paranchymal disease
What does paradoxical breathing indicate?
Thoracic wall moves in stomach moves out represents severe respiratory fatigue due to a variety of causes failure likely to be imminent
What should you hear from auscultation of normal lungs?
Symmetrical barley audible slightly louder carnioventrally
What do crackles on auscultation indicate?
Fluid in the airways
Bronchitis pneumonia pulmonary odema
What do respiratory wheezes suggest?
Airway narrowing
Inspiratory- extrathoracic airway disease
Expiratory-intrathoracic airway disease (feline asthma)
What does lack of lung sounds suggest?
Pleural space disease fluid
What does stretor indicate?
Upper airway obstructions
On palpatation what might decreased compressibility suggest?
Cranial mediastinal mass
What can percussion assist in diagnosing?
Tapping the chest wall can lead to diagnosis pleural space disease
What clinical measurements of oxygenation can you use?
SpO2
MM colour
Blood gas
Pcv (is anaemia present)
