Physical Exam & Behavior Flashcards
Normal Temp for Cats/Dogs
100.5 F to 102.5 F
Hyperthermia
104 F and higher
Causes of Hyperthermia
- Diseases
- Neurological injury (stroke)
- Heat Stroke
- Drug toxicity
Hyperthermia Results in
- Increased tissue O2 reqs
- Vasodilation to release body heat
- Cardiac workload increases
- Damage to vascular cells leading to DIC
- Bounding pulse, tachycardia, & pale gums (slow refill)
Interventions for Hyperthermia
- Cool compress
- Cool w/ fan
- Temperate bath
- Room temp IV fluids
- Cool water enemas
Don’t use for Hyperthermia
Ice water, it can cause vasoconstriction which will trap heat in the body, don’t want to cool down too fast
Hypothermia
99 F or less
Causes of Hypothermia
- Medication (anesthesia)
- Age (less than 1 month old)
- Environment (left in snow)
Hypothermia results in
- reduced metabolic rate
- decreased O2 consumption (slower breathing)
- decreased ability of hemoglobin to release O2 to tissue
- peripheral vasconstriction
- decreased heart rate
- hypotension (low blood pressure)
- decreased GI motility
Interventions for Hypothermia
- warm blankets
- warm water bottles/gloves
- warm IV fluids
- heat lamps (watch animal closely)
- circulating water blanket
Don’t use for Hypothermia
- heating pads
- stationary heating elements
(get too hot and can cause burns)
Pulse
A palpable rhythmic expansion of an artery due to contraction of the heart
Normal pulse for adult dogs
60-160 bpm
Normal pulse for Toy breeds
60-180 bpm
Normal pulse for puppies
up to 220 bpm
Normal pulse for cats
110-220 bpm (not unusual to be higher at the vet, cat’s stressed)
Where/how is the pulse taken
The usual site is at the femoral artery, count for 15 secs and times by 4 to get bpm (beats per minute)
Thready Pulse
weak pulse that can be a sign of shock of cardiopulmonary dz
Bounding Pulse
overly strong pulse that can be a sign of stress, pain, or cardiopulmonary dz
Bradycardia
Slow heart rate; decrease in cardiac output can cause organ failure or death
Causes of Bradycardia
- hypothermia
- metabolic diseases
- medications
- hypothroidism
Interventions for Bradycardia
- ECG
- Thoracic Radiograph for Dx
- Supplement w/ O2
- Chemical (atropine or epinephrine)
Tachycardia
Fast heart rate; can lead to permanent heart arrhythmia, murmurs, or cardiac failure
Causes of Tachycardia
- pain
- shock
- stress
- excitement
- febrile (fever)
- medications
Interventions for Tachycardia
- find the underlying cause
- treat the cause appropriately
How is respiration measured?
Watch the chest for expansion & contraction for 15 sec x by 4 for rpm (respirations per minute)
Do first for TPR
Normal Resp Rate for Cats:
20-30 rpm
Normal Resp Rate for Dogs:
15-30 rpm
How is panting recorded?
Considered normal in dogs, note if labor
Not normal in cats
Tachypnea
Rapid, shallow breathing
Causes of Tachypnea
- obstruction
- pain
- stress
- pulmonary dz
- hyperthermia
- shock
- seen in animals w/ pneumothorax/hemothorax
Interventions for Tachypnea
- minimize/decrease stress
- administer O2
- treat shock
- cool temp
If there is an obstruction in the upper airway:
- palpate for object
- radiographs to locate if not palpable
- might need to sedate
- remove obstruction
Dyspnea
Difficulty breathing
Causes of Dyspnea
- restricted airway
- pneumothorax
- pleural effusion
- upper airway dz (laryngeal paralysis/obstruction)
- lower airway dz (bronchitis, kennel cough)
- diaphragmatic hernia
- CHF (congestive heart failure)
- obesity
- pulmonary dz
Interventions for Dyspnea
- administer O2
- IVF
- Chest radiographs
Weight should be taken daily because:
it’s important for medication calculations & hydration state
To convert lbs to kgs:
divide lbs by 2.2 to get kgs and round to 10th place
MM
Mucous Membrane
Gingival
Gums (most common mucous membrane to check)
Conjunctiva
Mucous membrane of the eye
Normal MM color is
Pink (light bubble gum pink)
Abnormal MM colors
- Cyanotic
- Jaundice/Icteric
- Pale/White
- Erythemic/Hyperemic
CRT is
Capillary refill time
Normal CRT is
To obtain CRT:
Push on gums till they turn white, let go, & count
Prolonged CRT is recorded as:
> 2 secs
Prolonged CRT Causes:
- dehydration
- cardiac dz
- shock
If gums are pale or cyanotic w/ prolonged CRT:
Notify vet and administer O2
Treatment for CRT:
- measure blood pressure
- ECG
- PCV
- administer fluids
Ausculation
Listening to sound within the body w/ means of amplification
What two systems is ausculation performed on for small animals?
Cardiovascular & Respiratory Systems
Bell of stethoscope
smaller curved side, used for GI sounds or neonates
Diaphragm of stethoscope
large side, used for listening to cardiovascular or respiratory system
Where is the heart listened to?
Left side of the thorax, behind the elbow
What is recorded when listening to the heart?
Heart rate and quality
Count for 15 sec x 4
Murmurs
abnormal heart sound generated by blood flow through the heart
murmurs are graded I-VI (by Dr.)
Murmurs indicated:
- cardiac dz
- dehydration
- over hydration
Arrhythmias
abnormal heart rhythm (can be heard on ausculation or ECG)
“Normal” Sinus Arrhythmia
- irregularity due to respiratory cycle
- increases on inspiration, decreases on expiration
- more pronounced under anesthesia
- non pathogenic
Pulse Deficit
difference between heart rate and palpable pulse
Causes of Pulse Deficit
- lack of circulation
- heart dz
Normal lung sounds:
- nothing or slight air movement
- includes both sides of the chest & trachea
- check for breath quality
Stridor
high pitched sound heard on inspiration
Stridor can indicate:
something stuck in the throat (upper airway)
Crackles
sound like rice crispies, pops & crackles, happens near the end of breathing pattern
Rales
crackling, bubbling sound, happens through out the breathing pattern
Crackles can indicate:
- asthma
- bronchitis
- pneumonia
Rales can indicate:
- bronchitis
- asthma
- pneumonia
Bronchi
rattling or snoring sound
Bronchi can indicate:
- bronchitis
- asthma
- pneumonia
Palpation
Feeling the outside surfaces of the body, to look for tumors, wound, bumps, foreign bodies
Palpation of eyes
look for redness
pupils - same size
discharge - one or both eyes
pupilary light reflex
Palpation of ears
look for smells/odors
inflamation of pinna
mites (common in cats)
hemtomas
Palpation of nose
blood
pus
foamy or clear discharge
Palpation of mouth
sores, tumors, teeth, gums, tongue, halatosis
Palpation of neck
look for alopecia, hot spots, cervical pain, lymphnodes, lumps & bumps
Palpation of extremities (limbs/tail)
look at paws for redness, check nails, check for burrs between toes
Palpation of chest/thorax
is hair/coat dry/oily/flaky/dull
alopecia
parasites
Palpation of abdomen
check for pain/lumps
Palpation of lymph nodes
usually shouldn’t feel them
Name/location of 5 lymph nodes
submandibular (under chin)
popliteal (back leg above hock)
prescapular (above front leg, near scapula)
axillary (in armpit of front leg)
inguinal (where back leg meets body, near femoral vein)
Palpation of reproductive areas
cryptorchid, extrude penis (does it extrude) vulva - redness, discharge puppies vaginitis (from over chewing) pyometra (pus in uterus)
CVTs need to understand behavior:
- safety of self, vet, owner, animal
- is behavior medical issue or behavioral issue
- client education
- animal advocacy, why behavior is occurring & what it means
What are the 5 senses:
sight, sound, taste, smell, touch
What sense is most important to dogs/cats for communication?
touch
Define Ethology
study of animal behavior in a natural setting
Animal behaviorist is:
someone who studies how animals behave & trys to determine what causes certain behavior & what factors prompt behavior changes
Anthromorphism is:
attributing human characteristics to anything but humans
Factors that influence behavior:
maternal status owner's lifestyle environmental changes gender age health status
Agonistic behavior is:
the way an animal reacts to a situation perceived as conflict, choices made when responding to these challenges
4 ways animals react to conflict:
escape, submissive/appeasement, threatening, aggression
9 types of aggression:
fear, pain-elicited, dominance, territorial, possessive, maternal, protective, predatory, inter-male/female
Types of aggression that are normal behavior:
territorial & maternal
