Emergency and Critical Care Nursing: Small animal Flashcards
Triage
A triage is when patients are quickly sorted into groups based on a quick assessment of illness or injury severity.
Telephone Triage
The veterinary technician must ask specific and essential questions rapidly to distinguish between an actual life threatening emergency or a situation that can wait.
In-Hospital triage is broken into what 3 groups?
- those needing immediate care or stabilization
- those needing to be taken to tx for other reason (bleeding, vomiting, diarrhea, contagious ect.)
- those that can wait with O until staff available
How long is the initial triage exam?
1-2 minute systematic evaluation of essential organ systems (resp, cardiac, neurological exams).
Define Tachypnea
Increased respiratory rate
Define Hypoxemia
Decreased oxygen in the blood
What medical issues can cause tachypnea?
Hypoxemia, thoracic trauma, shock
Non respiratory sources: pain, stress, increased temp, traumatic brain injury or metabolic acidosis
Define Bradypnea
Decreased respiratory rate
What is bradypnea commonly associated with?
Toxin exposure or elevated intracranial pressure
Inspiratory dyspnea- results in slow, long inspirations with short exhalations. What can this indicate?
Extra-thoracic airway obstruction (laryngeal paralysis) or swelling associated with an acute hypersensitivity reaction
Expiratory dyspnea- increased abdominal effort on expiration. Usual causes:
Often develops if an intrathoracic airway obstruction (ex. mass) compressing the airway or an inhaled foreign body is present
How is labored breathing described?
Breathing that is prolonged and deep
What would indicate restrictive breathing?
Fast, short, and shallow breaths (reflect impaired ability to expand the lungs).
What are some causes of restrictive breathing?
Rib fractures, pleural space disease )pleural effusion, pneumothorax, tumors), late diseases of lung tissue
Define Orthopnea
Term used to describe the condition of maintaining a specific posture to ease breathing. (p can become very stressed when placed in a different position)
Describe apneustic breathing pattern
Deep inhalation with an abnormally long pause before exhalation (typically indicates brain injury)
Define Cheyne-Stokes breathing
Refers to a pattern of alternating tachypnea and bradypnea (occurs when CO2 regulation of respiration is interrupted)
What does it indicate if a P has Cheyne-Stokes breathing pattern?
Severely increased intracranial pressure
After initial triage exam checking respiratory, circulatory, and neurological systems the abdomen should be palpated. The abdomen is palpated for what?
- pain- could indicated need for sx
- tympany- possible gas-filled GI structure
- fluid wave- could indicate hemorrhage, fluid buildup from inflammation or heart failure
Define Kussmaul breathing
Slow, deep, regular respiratory pattern ( indicating respiratory compensation for a metabolic acidosis such as DKA)
Describe flail chest (paradoxical chest excursion)
When segment of thoracic wall moves opposite to breathing (chest wall moving in on expiration and chest wall going out on inspiration)
Describe paradoxical abdominal breathing
When the abdomen moves inward during inspiration instead of outward(indicates diaphragm likely paralyzed and p may need immediate assistance to stabilize breathing)
If lung sounds decreased dorsally think..
Pneumothorax
If lung sounds decreased ventrally think..
Pleural effusion
Borborygmi in the thorax may indicate
Diaphragmatic hernia, but can also be referred from abdomen
What does the initial cardiovascular triage exam assess?
Mentation, HR and rhythm, pulse quality, CRT, extremity temp, and MM color
Name one difference between cats and dogs presenting with shock
Cats typically present bradycardic wild dogs typically present tachycardic
Tachycardia in a p can indicate what in an emergency situation?
Compensation for a shock state, pain, anemia, anxiety, or a combination of these
Bradycardia in a p can indicate what in an emergency situation?
Life -threatening arrhythmia or in animals with urethra obstruction it can indicate extremely elevated potassium level
What is the difference between pulse quality and pulse pressure?
Pulse pressure is the diff between systolic and diastolic pressures, pulse quality is how quickly the pulse pressure changes and how long each pulse lasts
A weak and thready pulse typically occurs in conjunction with tachycardia. What can this indicate?
Hypotension, hypovolemia, decompensated shock
A snappy pulse has very large pulse pressure and an extremely rapid rise and fall. When does this commonly occur?
Anemia, patent ductus arteriosus, or severe aortic regurgitation
What does the Neuro exam during initial emergency triage try to determine?
Whether or not there is a TBI (traumatic brain injury) or not
What are findings supportive of TBI
Abrupt changes in mentation, changes in pupil (size, symmetry, responsiveness), altered gait or posture, altered proprioception and evidence of trauma to the head
How does a stuporous animal react to environment or stimuli?
P is completely disconnected from environment and reacts only to noxious (painful or prolonged) stimuli
How does a stuporous animal react to environment or stimuli?
P is completely disconnected from environment and reacts only to noxious (painful or prolonged) stimuli
Define mydriatic pupils.
Fixed and dilated
What does unresponsive mydriatic pupils indicate?
Can indicate irreversible midbrain lesion
What do unresponsive midrange pupils suggest?
Lesion in the medulla and supportive of brain injury
Define anisocoria
Asymmetry in pupil size.
What can anisocoria indicate?
Acute cerebral injury (blood clot, hemorrhage, TBI) or Horner syndrome
Define Horner syndrome
Nerves controlling the pupil are affected but brain is not injured
Describe decerebrate posture
Extreme rigidity of all four limbs. May involve opisthotonus (arching of neck and back)
What does decerebrate posture indicate?
Complete disconnect between the forebrain and the brainstem. Often p is stuporous to comatose and carries a grave prognosis
Describe decerebellate posture
Rigid forelimbs and flexed hindlimbs- rigidity may be noted in all four limbs
What is the main difference between decerebrate posture and decerebellate posture?
P with decerebellate posture present with normal mentation
What does decerebellate posture indicate?
Severe injury to the cerebellum
Describe Schiff-Sherrington posture
Can mimic decerebrate or decerebellate posture. Typically forelimbs are rigid and hindlimbs are flaccid. However, p has normal mentation and can often ambulate when placed on its feet
What is Schiff-Sherrington posture assoc. with?
T3-L3 spinal cord lesion
What are some common labwork abnormalities assoc. with dehydrated p’s?
Hemoconcentration, azotemia, hypernatremia, and elevated albumin
Define hemoconcentration
A decrease in plasma volume, which causes a simultaneous increase in the concentration of red blood cells and other commonly tested constituents of the blood
Define azotemia
Elevated levels of urea and other nitrogen compounds in the blood
Define hypernatremia
A high concentration of sodium in the blood
If azotemia noted, USG should be checked. What USG value indicates prerenal (resulting from decreased renal blood flow) azotemia?
USG greater than 1.050- usually secondary to dehydration
What is the typical USG in the case of isosthenuria?
1.012-1.018 (dogs) and 1.012-1.022 (cats)
Isosthenuria in combination with dehydration and azotemia suggests what?
Renal disease is present
What is the normal blood pH for veterinary p?
7.4pH
What can cause a high pH?
Severe vomiting