History and Physical Exams Flashcards
What is a normal respiration rate for a horse?
6-12bpm
How can you obtain RR in a horse?
watch “rise and fall” of chest from a distance (preferred method), stethoscope, feel movement of air from nostril
What should be asked about when getting a history?
food and water sources, posture management, herd health programs, introduction of new animal to herd, feeding practices, toxin exposure, environmental stresses
What should you not do when taking a history?
do NOT pass judgement to an owner
What is the purpose of physical exam?
sick animal exam —–> healthy animal exam - insurance exam/pre-purchase exam
What should be noted during a horse’s PE?
visual observation, RR, lung auscultation, pulse rate, heart auscultation, MM, hydration status, height/weight measurement
What should be visually observed during a horse’s PE?
posture, behavior, body condition, alertness, breathing pattern and respiratory noise, body swelling/wounds, muscle mass
Horse’s are ____________ breathers.
obligate nasal
What is abnormal during respiration?
noise —–> wheezing, whistling, honking, snoring, fluttering
What areas is lung auscultation usually broken into?
two areas –> cranioventral area and caudodorsal area
What is a pulse heart rate?
feeling the pulse by palpation of arteries
Where can you palpate a pulse on a horse?
facial artery, transverse facial artery, coccygeal artery, dorsal metatarsal artery, lateral digital artery
Where can you feel facial artery pulse?
along mandible rostral to masseter muscle
Where can you feel coccygeal artery pulse?
along ventral midline of the tail
Where can you feel dorsal metatarsal artery pulse?
between metatarsal 3 & 4 on the hind limb
Where can you feel lateral digit artery pulse?
outside of front limb
Where can you palpate a pulse of a swine?
auricular artery and coccygeal artery
Where can you palpate a pulse on cattle?
facial artery
Where can you palpate a pulse of goats and sheep?
femoral artery
What is common with an athletic horse’s pulse?
common irregularity of pulse due to second degree atrioventricular block
What side is easier to hear heart auscultation?
left side
What can happen when taking a horse’s temperature?
can aspirate thermometer into rectum
What is a horse’s normal abdominal auscultation?
1-3 gut sounds per minute
What is borborygmi?
intestinal motility sounds
What is ileus?
complete absence of borborygmi
What is normal mucous membrane color in horses?
light to dark pink
What is cyanosis?
MM are a bluish tiny - extremely low oxygen
What do brick red MM mean?
bacterial septicemia and/or shock
What is endotoxin shock?
purple gum line above teeth referred to as toxic line
What do pale MM mean?
anemia or poor perfusion
What do hemorrhages on MM mean?
clotting disorder
What is petechial hemorrhage?
<1mm sized bruises on MM
What is ecchymotic hemorrhage?
> 1mm and <1cm sized bruises on MM
What is purpuric hemorrhage?
> 1cm sized bruises on MM
What is colic?
abdominal pain
What is nasogastric intubation?
helpful since horses can’t vomit their stomach will become distended with ingesta and gas and the stomach can rupture
What is the risk of rectal palpation?
risk of rectal tears which can be life threatening
What injuries are common in horses?
eye injuries
What is usually needed for eye exams?
nerve blocks
How are horses observed during a lameness exam?
must observe the horse during various activities —–> at rest, walking, trotting
What is the flexion test?
flex joint for period of time and the jog horse
What is used to evaluate hooves?
hoof testers
What are local anesthetics for nerve blocks used for?
used to confirm or further localize source of pain
How are local anesthetics used?
joints/nerves are injected starting near hoof and working up
How can you make sure the correct patient is getting treated the correct way?
record in record, place a card on housing door, plastic ID tags can be made to braid into mane or tail, put on pastern, or halter
What are the two types of artificial identification?
permanent and temporary
What are panel tags?
numbered tag placed in ear, can be easily removed
What are metal clips?
clips on ears, less likely to be ripped off than ear tag but not as easily read from a distance
What are hot brands?
destroy hair follicle and leave scar, usually placed over side of neck, triceps, or hip/thigh area
What are freeze brands?
destroys hair pigment derived from melanocytes and leave white hair, uses branding iron dipped in liquid nitrogen
Where is an ear notch placed?
left ear
What animal is ear notching done on?
swine
What is a star marking?
small marking between the eyes located anywhere from the poll to the bottom third of the forehead
What is a strip marking?
thin white line within the bridges of the nasal bones
What is a snip marking?
small marking between the nostrils anywhere on the dorsal aspect of the face, on the bottom of the head
What is a blaze marking?
thick white line outside the bridges of the nasal bones
What is a bald marking?
wide white mark that goes behind at least one eye
What is a cornet marking?
white marking that forms a thin white line around the coronary band
What is a pastern marking?
white marking below the level of the pastern that does not cross the pastern at any point
What are sock markings?
white marking that crossed the pastern at any point and does not cross the knee or hock at any point
What are stocking markings?
white marking up to hock
Black horse coat
no brown areas
Brown horse coat
black horse that gets brown anywhere on body during year, any shade of brown but no shades of red
Chestnut horse coat
brown horse with hues of red
Sorrel horse coat
brown horse with dull red hues - American Quarter Horse Association ONLY
Bay Horse Coat
brown, chestnut, or sorrel with black legs, mane, and tail
Dun horse coat
yellow tan as the main body with black, dorsal stripe down middle of back - darker coat color
Bucksin horse coat
dun without the dorsal stripe
Palomin horse coat
same color as dun or bucksin with blond/white mane and tail
Gray horse coat
most “white” horses are actually gray, skin is darkly pigmented
Roan horse coat
coat color is salt and pepper like, head is solid color, often red
What are hair whorls?
usually one swirl on muzzle that is in unique position
How is a hair whorl recorded in a horse’s diagram/photo?
an X
What are chestnuts?
common to all horses on the medial aspects of all limbs; evolutionary remnants of the digital pad of the first digit
