Intro to Ruminant Clin Exam Flashcards
What are the 3 main components to the clinical exam?
History
Distance exam
Close Exam
What 3 things are important in general history taking?
Husbandry system, diet, environment
What factors are included in patient data/signalment in ruminants?
species, breed, sex, age/lactation number, reproductive hx
The last calving date in dairy is known as Day …?
Day 0
When taking history on a ruminant patient or herd, what factors play into the primary complaint that may be important to know?
Type/nature of complaint
Onset
Duration
Progression/response to any txts so far
Other signs/symptoms
Systemic manifestations
What are some general principles of history taking?
Avoid complex terminology
Obtain accurate times for signs
Separate observations from interpretation
Ask questions in a logical sequence
Repeat client response for confirmation
Summarize back to the farmer
When do you perform a distance examination?
Prior to a close physical exam
What would you look at upon general inspection in a distance exam?
Posture & mental status
BCS
What do you look at in a distance exam regarding the head?
Symmetry, Eyes, any discharge
What do you look at in a distance exam regarding the neck?
Jugular veins, any swellings
What do you look at in a distance exam regarding the thorax?
respiration rate, rhythm, character, prolonged phases, depth/effort
What are the normal respiration rates for ruminants? (cow, calf, sheep)
Cow: 20-30 resp/min
Calf: 15-40 resp/min
Sheep: 15-35 resp/min
What are 3 other areas that you would view upon a distance exam aside from head, neck, & thx regions?
Abdomen: size, contour
Udder
Limbs
Upon close examination of the head, what are important things to look at?
MM of eye
Percuss frontal & maxillary sinuses
Open mouth: CRT, ulcers, tongue, breath, tone
Upon close examination of the neck, what factors would you be viewing?
Submandibular LN
Any oedema?
Jugular pulse
Skin tent
Upon close examination, What are the main LN’s that you might palpate or examine?
Prescapular
Prefemoral
Popliteal
When would you be able to feel the popliteal LN’s in a ruminant?
In Caseous lymphadenopathy/ lymphadenitis in sheep
Where can you find the prescapular LN in a ruminant?
Go to the point of the shoulder and up about 1 hand’s length
What does the prescapular LN drain?
front leg
When might the prescapular LN be enlarged?
septic or inflammatory conditions near the front leg
Where are the prefemoral LN’s?
point of the stifle and a hand’s length up
What do the prefemoral LN’s drain?
abdomen and skin of the abdomen
When might the prefemoral LN’s be enlarged?
peritonitis, umbilical abscess/navel ill, intra-abdominal abscess
What is the difference between how you palpate the Prescapular and prefemoral LN’s?
Push prescapular LN
Pull prefemoral LN
When you auscultate the heart, what are you listening for?
Heart rate, rhythm
Any murmurs
Muffling, fluid sounds
When bradycardia is present in a ruminant, what might it be a sign of?
Inappetence, vagal syndrome
When tachycardia is present in a ruminant, what might it be a sign of?
toxemia, circulatory failure, pain, excitement
What is the most common arrhythmia in cattle?
Atrial fibrillation (Afib)
What might you hear on auscultation of the heart if endocarditis is present?
Murmurs
What might you hear on auscultation of the heart if pericarditis is present?
muffling, fluid sounds
What is the normal heart rate for a ruminant? (sheep, cow, calf)
Cow: 60-80 bpm
Calf: 70-100 bpm
Sheep: 60-90 bpm
When auscultating the respiratory system, what areas are you listening to?
Lungs, trachea, larynx
When you auscultate the lungs, what is it important to remember?
The lung fields are very small. It runs from the caudal angle of the scapula to the 2nd to last intercostal space down to a point at the elbow
What sounds are you listening for in the lungs?
Crackles, squeaks, wheezes, tubular sounds
If you are suspicious of IBR, what area of the respiratory system might you auscultate?
Trachea
When might you auscultate the larynx?
if you suspect laryngeal chondritis or laryngeal diphtheria
What breeds are susceptible to laryngeal chondritis?
Hint: 1 cattle, 1 sheep
Belgian blue
Texel sheep
What parts make up a close examination of the GIT?
Check ruminoreticular motility
Check primary cycle
Check secondary cycle
Percuss auscultation
Rectal exam
Repro exam if indicated
Where do you check the ruminoreticular motility?
L paralumbar fossa
What are you listening for when assessing ruminoreticular motility?
Dorsal sac contractions
Should be 3-4 contractions in 2 mins
Where do you assess the primary cycle?
Place stethoscope over reticulum at the 6th-9th intercostals & place a hand on the left paralumbar fossa
How many primary cycles are normal in a ruminant?
2-3 cycles in 2 mins
How long does biphasic reticular contraction last?
2-5 seconds
In the secondary cycle, what is absent?
Reticular contraction is absent
How often does a secondary cycle occur?
1 secondary cycle every 2 mins
When you percuss, how far away from the stethoscope should your hand be?
No more than 10 cm from end of stethoscopeW
Where do you ping the LDA & RDA?
Under the last 3 ribs
Where do you ping the caecum?
right paralumbar fossa
When you are pinging the abdomen, what are you listening for signs of?
LDA, RDA, RVA, Cecal dilation or torsion
What are you examining in a rectal exam of ruminants?
Temperature - Do this first!
Feces assessment
When would you do a repro exam on a ruminant?
As indicated
If you check the left kidney (dorsal midline), and grunting is present, what might it indicate?
pyelonephritis
If there is a lack of rectal sweep, what might be indicated?
Peritonitis due to perimetritis, ruptured uterus, or a uterine abscess
What are normal temp ranges for ruminants (cow, calf, sheep)?
Cow: 37.8-39.2 C
Calf: 38.6-39.5 C
Sheep: 38.3-40 C
What are you examining when looking at the urogenital system?
Palpating the kidney & uterine tract on rectal
Vaginal exam
Encourage urination
What are you feeling for upon a vaginal exam in a ruminant?
Cervix - is it open or closed? Is there any discharge?
What differentials might be on your list if discharge is present upon a vaginal exam?
metritis, RFM, endometritis
What are ways to obtain urine from a ruminant?
rub vulva or catheter
What symptoms might you see if cystitis is present?
raised tail head, stranguria, pollakiuria
What symptoms might you see if pyelonephritis is present?
dull, inappetant, pyuria/ hematuria, pain on palpation of the kidney, stranguria
What signs might you see if urolithiasis is present?
Oliguria, uremia
SQ edematous swelling over the ventrum if urethral rupture has occurred
Distended abdomen & dullness if uroabdomen
What factors are examined upon a mammary gland close examination?
Palpate for heat, pain, swelling
Draw milk from each teat & assess color & clots
Signs of mastitis might include?
Heat, pain, swelling of the mammary
How would you differentiate types of mastitis?
Systemic disturbances
When might oedema of the mammary be present?
post-calving or w/ cellulitis
If indicated, what are two types of exams that could also be performed on ruminants?
neurological exam or musculoskeletal exam
