Musculoskeletal Disorders Flashcards
reasons for malnutrition?
pain
depression/stress
anorexia for more than 3 days
underlying disease
- trauma
- sepsis
- pancreatitis
large protein losses
- eg from gastrointestinal disease
obesity
diet requirements for growing animals?
calcium (Ca) and phophorus (P)
- vital for bone strength
- vital for nerve and muscle function
- vital for blood clotting
- calcium deficiency = slow growth and thyroid problems
vitamin D
- aids absorption of Ca through the gut
- decreases excretion of Ca and P from kidneys
vitamin A
- essential for correct metabolism
- deficiency = skin/coat conditions, poor growth, reproductive disorders and eye disorders
what bone disorders can an incorrect diet cause?
Metabolic bone disease
- an abnormality of bones caused by a broad spectrum of disorders.
- often due to deficiencies in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, Vit. D
Rickets
- disease which causes soft and deformed bones
- often due to deficiency in phosphorus, Vit.D or calcium
- signs: abnormal walking, pain, fractures
common elbow disorder? why? signs?
dogs and cats bear 60% of body weight on their forelimbs
the humerus, ulna and radius must align for normal function
abnormal joit development (dysplasia)
- common in large dog breeds
- overtime causes osteoarthritis
- may cause fractures within the joint
signs
- hesitation to use stairs
- non-weight bearing lame
- dropped shoulder
- sleep more/appear lazy
common hip disorders? signs?
fractures
- often from trauma
- tend to be multiple
- may involve internal organs
malformed hip joints (dysplasia)
osteoarthritis, caused by:
- hip dysplasia
- trauma/injury
- infection
signs
- difficulty rising
- lameness/stiffness
- low energy levels
- avoiding stairs or jumping
- toilet accidents
common stifle disorders? signs?
cranial cruciate ligament tear
- damaged during twisting
- reduced joint stability
medial patella luxation
- congential defect - femoral grove too shallow
- patella slides medially out of femoral grove
- causes instability
abnormal joint development
- causes joint instability and inflammation
signs
- non-weight bearing or partially lame
- sudden onset of lameness - ligament tear
what is osteochrondritis dissecans?
abnormal cartilage and bone development in joints
- often bilateral
- causes small chips to rub = wear and tear
common sites
- shoulder, elbow, knee, hock
the cause can be genetic or nutrition
large dog breeds more predisposed due to fast growth rates
what is osteoarthritis? causes and signs?
AKA: degenerative joint disease
inflammation of the cartilage and underlying bone structure
this leads to
- cartilage loss
- deterioration of the joint
- joint instability
- hardening of subchondral bone
- osteophyte formation
causes
- trauma
- aging
- dysplasia
signs
- chronic pain
- joint effusion - thicker fluid
- muscle atrophy - from reduced weight-bearing
- exercise intolerance
- stiffness - may improve as warm-up
- lameness - may be non-weight bearing
what is spondylosis deformans? causes and signs?
the presence of bony osteophytes (bony spurs)
common sites include:
- thoracic vertebrae
- lumbar vertebrae
- lumbosacral junction
it is a chronic condition often caused from:
- age
- repetitive microtrauma - eg spinal twisting
- major trauma
- genetics
signs
- stiff
- pain or lameness if there is pressure on nerves
- difficulty getting up and down
what is Intervertebral Disk Disease? causes and signs? nursing care/management?
intervertebral disks separate and cushion the vertebrae
- have a firm exterior and soft interior
IVDD is the general degeneration or sudden rupture of these disc
- the spinal cord swells and becomes compressed
- causing bruising to the spinal cord
- this impairs nerve conductors along the spinal cord
signs
- acute and severe pain
- neurological signs
- paralysis
nursing care/management
- physical therapy
- severe cases = surgery
- providing rest / controlled exercise
- close monitoring
- soft/cushioned bedding
- NSAIDs
- nutraceuticals to promote joint health and minimise inflammation
- promoting healthy body weight
- client exercise
causes, signs and management of fractures?
often caused by trauma, often:
- pelvis
- humerus
- femur
sometimes due to disease - eg infection or cancer
signs
- non-weightbearing lame/pain
- swelling
- bruising
- warm
management
- strict rest
- splint/bandages - Robert jones bandage
- surgical repair
what is periodontal disease? causes, signs and management?
cause of an oral infection
inflammation caused by bacteria in the gums
- food particles stick to the teeth (plaque)
- plaque hardens to calculus
- further bacteria accumulates - cycle
causes irreversible destruction of support tissues around teeth
- so causes tooth loss
signs
- foul oral odour
- teeth chattering and salivation
- dropping food
- red gums
- tooth loss
unresolved infections can spread across body
- bacteria within mouth enters blood stream
- kidneys, liver, lungs
management
- can’t cure but can manage
- antibiotics to fight infection
- dental surgery
- home dental care
types of bone tumours?
osteosarcoma - malignant
- most commonly affect long bone
- very aggressive and painful
osteoma - benign
- a new piece of bone growing on bone
- added pressure
chondrosarcoma - malignant
- affect bone such as ribs and nasal cavity
- develops in cartilage cells
- impact growth and movement - painful
nursing care and management for bone tumours?
assisting with diagnostics
- x-rays/ultrasounds
- prepping for samples
monitoring vital signs
administer medications
- assist with chemo and side effects
soft, comfortable bedding
ensure adequate nutrition
post-op care
what is osteomyelitis? causes, signs, diagnosis and treatment/management?
inflammation of one and bone marrow
often caused by bone infection
- direct contact (eg FBs) or infection spread locally
- corrosion of a surgical implant - eg bone plates
signs
- pyrexia
- lethargy/lameness/pain
- inappetence
- exudation of pus - wound/tract from implant
diagnosis
- swab area
- test implants if removed
treatment/nursing care
- monitor vitals
- soft, comfortable bedding
- analgesia and antibiotics
- post-op care and fluid therapy
- manage and change dressings
what is myopathy? causes, signs and treatment/nursing care?
muscle damage from bad blood supply to the muscle
caused by
- lying recumbent for a long time
- poor positioning/lying on firm surfaces
- prolonged anaesthesia
- prolonged periods of hypotension
- stress = vasoconstriction
signs
- distress and panting
- hard muscle
- localised swelling
- lameness - can be non-weight bearing
treatment and nursing care
- fluid therapy - encourages blood flow to area
- analgesia
- sedation - to decrease stress - but slows blood flow
- massage - increase blood circulation - will be painful
- turn recumbent patients every 2-4 hours
what is exertional rhabdomyolysis? signs, causes and treatment?
a condition where muscles cramp and start to dissolve
- occurs after intense exercise
- increase movement = increase stiffening
causes
- overexertion
- muscle strain
- diet-related deficiencies
- high grain diet
- genetics
signs
- extreme pain
- increased but shallow breathing
- tremors
- muscle contractions
- refusal to move
- lameness
- late-stage - collapse renal failure
treatment
- if exercising, stop asap and rest
- pain control
- anti-inflammatories
- sedatives and muscle relaxants
- fluids and electrolytes
- diet control and supplements (Vit.E)
- keep warm
signs, causes and treatment for tendon damage?
signs
- heat and swelling
- bowed appearance
- lameness - varies
- severe = toe lift
causes
- torn fibres during exercise
- fast work on uneven ground
- trauma
treatment
- strict rest and rest-controlled exercise
- hot and cold therapy
- support bandages - prevent oedema
- anti-inflammatories - can slow healing but reduce swelling and pain
- repeat ultrasounds
- platelet-rich plasma and stem cells - tendons have poor blood supply - speeds up healing
signs, causes and treatment of ligament damage?
signs
- heat
- swelling
- pain - lame and/or on palpation
causes
- direct trauma
- abnormal or excessive forces
treatment
- strict rest and rest-controlled exercise
- hot and cold therapy
- support bandages - prevent oedema
- anti-inflammatories - can slow healing but reduce swelling and pain
- repeat ultrasounds
- shockwave treatment - stimulates cells and improves blood flow
- platelet-rich plasma and stem cells - ligaments have poor blood supply - speeds up healing
what is muscular dystrophy? signs and treatment?
An inherited disease that causes progressive weakness and degeneration of muscles
- due to defect on x chromosome meaning males are more prone
Signs
- pain
- decreased muscle mass
- stiff gait
- exercise intolerance
- trouble eating or regurgitation
Treatment = management
- corticosteroids
- IVFT
- muscle relaxants
- analgesia
