Equine Physical Exam Flashcards
Weaning (in terms of age)
Young, weaning to 1 year
Yearling
1 year to 1.5 years
Long Yearling
1.5 years to 2nd birthday
Colt
Intact male between 2-3 years
Filly
Female between 2-3 years
Stallion
Intact male after 3rd birthday
Mare
Female after 3rd birthday
Gelding
Castrated male of any age
Once patient history is obtained, it must be evaluated for ___. Some info may be difficult to ___, some might be ___.
Most owners will provide ___ history, while others will ___ or provide ___ info to spare ___. It is common for large animal owners to do this in order to not appear ___ or admit ___ on their part.
- Accuracy
- Evaluate
- Misleading
- Excellent
- Ramble
- False
- Embarrassment
- Ignorant
- Fault, mistakes
wo types of exams for equine are…
Purpose of each:
(excluding basic exams for both)
- Insurance exam:
- Required by insurance companies before horse can receive coverage. - Pre-purchase exam:
- May be simple or in-depth exams.
- TO avoid potential lawsuits, & the sensitive nature of information obtained from these exams, they must be thorough, accurate, & private.
Basic PE
How to take rectal temperature (6)
- Stand face caudally (left side) & maintain physical contact.
- Grab tail and gently move to the side.
- Insert lubricated thermometer with a twisting motion.
- Digital, ring top, or mercury is okay. - Make sure it is secured on patient or in your grasp!
- If it doesn’t advance, don’t force it!
- Some horses pull the anus inward, and in some defecation is stimulated!
Adult horse temp is typically __-__F.
Large breed & daft horses have ___ rectal temps.
Neonates often lack the ability to generate body heat and will have ___ temps following birth. Older foals might be a degree ___ than adults in the first few days/weeks after birth.
A false low reading could be due to ___ entering the rectum or if the rectum contains ___.
- 99-101.5 F
- Low
- Low
- Higher
- Air
- Esp during rectal exams/procedures - Feces
Lowest rectal temp is in the…
“Gray zone” meaning for temp
- Morning
- Gray zone: 101.5-102 F
- This may be normal for some, especially in hot weather.
- Above this is suspicious unless post exercise.
Pulse rate is taken by palpation of the ___. Heart rate refers to the number of ___/___, while pulse rate refers to the number of palpable arterial pulse ___/___.
In normal animals, these are ___ to each other.
Auscultation of the heart is for ___ ___, not pulse rate.
Some heart abnormalities produce audible heart sounds that are not always ___ by arterial pulse.
- Arteries
- Beats/min
- Waves/min
- Equal
- Heart rate
- Accompanied
Locate the pulse areas and artery names (5)
A - Mandibular facial artery
B - Transverse facial artery
C - Coccygeal artery
D - Dorsal metatarsal artery
E - Lateral digital artery (two locations)
Heart auscultation landmarks/locations (2)
Left side: F
Right side: G
Lung auscultation landmarks & location names (6)
Right side:
K - Caudodorsal field
L - Mid thorax
M - Cranioventral
Left side:
H - Caudodorsal field
I - Mid thorax
J - Cranioventral
Abdominal auscultation landmarks (4)
Left side:
N - Upper quadrant
O - Lower quadrant
Right side:
P - Upper quadrant
Q - Lower quadrant
Normal pulse rates
Adult:
Foal post birth:
First 1-2 weeks of life:
Fit horses (ex: racehorses):
How is rhythm recorded? And pulse quality?
a. 28-44bpm
b. 60-80bpm
c. 75-100bpm
d. Below 28bpm
e. Rhythm: Regular or Irregular
f. Pulse is subjective: Strong, bounding, weak, or thready.
Respiration rate is defined by ___ & ___. Like ___, ___, ___, ___, etc.
Horses use a combination of ___ & ___ muscles to breathe called ___ breathing.
Painful chest conditions may ___ use of abdominal muscles when breathing.
- Effort & depth
- Shallow, deep, labored, gasping, etc
- Thoracic & abdominal
- Costoabdominal breathing
- Increase
Respiration rates
Adult:
Adult hot weather:
Newborn foals:
Foals 1-2 weeks of life:
a. 6-12bpm
b. Higher, elevated
c. 80-90bpm
d. 20-40bpm
T/F: Respiratory noises are not uncommon but may be significant. It should be noted what activity level the patient is and if it’s on inspiration or expiration.
True! They might be described as wheezing, whistling, honking, snoring, fluttering, etc.
T/F: Most heart valves & sounds are best heard from the left side, but many murmurs are heard from the right side
True! This is why you must listen to both sides
Where is the heart best heard?
Cranially to the caudal border of the triceps.
Although, it can be difficult to hear it here, so it’s advised to lift the muscle away from the chest or move forelimb slightly forward.
T/F: Heart rates in large animals are slow and sounds are low & muffled.
False! HRs are SLOW but sounds are LOUD and DISTINCT
Mummers ___ uncommon, although most are ___. This is due to the result of large volumes of blood moving at ___ speeds thru the valves, called ___ mummers.
True cardiac disease is ___ in horses & is usually accompanied by ___ and other abnormal sounds.
- Aren’t
- Physiological
- High
- Ejection mummers
- Uncommon
- Mummers
T/F: Even though horses have large lungs, it can be difficult to hear the sounds of breathing
True
Normal air movement during lung auscultation should be without any… (3)
Wheezing, gurgling, or moist sounds
How are abdominal sounds created?
What is “passive movement?”
- Generated by movements of the intestines
- “Active movement” - Movement of gas & liquids without being propelled by intestinal musculature
- “Passive movement”
Intestinal motility sounds are called ___ and described as… (2)
How long should you listen to the abdomen?
No intestinal sounds means..?
- Borborygmi
- Rumbling thunder or freight train - One minute per quadrant
- 3 borborygmi/min is WNL - Intestinal standstill (ileus)
Locations to evaluate mucous membranes & CRT: (4)
Normal CRT:
- Gums (gingiva)
- Conjunctiva of eye
- Lining of nostrils
- Inner surfaces of vulva in females
- Normal CRT:
- <2.5 seconds
MM color meanings
Light-dark pink:
Blue:
Brick red:
Purple:
Yellow:
Pale:
Reddish spotting:
- Normal
- Cyanosis
- Low O2 in tissue - Bacterial septicemia &/or septic shock
- Endotoxic shock
- Along gum line called toxic line - Icterus
- Anemia or poor perfusion
- Some horses are normally pale pink - Clotting disorders
Hydration status
Skin turgor:
Normal:
Dehydration:
Severe dehydration:
Severe dehydration & severe shock CRT:
a. Skin pinch test
- Lift skin over lateral aspect of neck & allow to retract.
b. <1 second
c. Prolong response, >1 second
- >5%
d. >8 seconds
e. 5-8 seconds
Height & weight may be required for ___ & __ ___ exams.
Weight is crucial for accurate drug ___ & diet ___.
Tape is marked in hands which is equal to __ inches.
- Insurance & pre-purchase
- Dose
- Formulations
- 4 inches
- 1 hand = 4 inches
Height is read at the highest point of the ___
Withers
