Physical exam of the dog and cat - extra reading

Question 1

What might a plantigrade stance suggest?

Answer 1

a neuropathy

Question 2

Head hanging in cats may indicate?

Answer 2

Hypokalaemia

Question 3

3 causes of fat pet

Answer 3

overfed, hypothyroid or inactive

Question 4

2 causes for thin pets

Answer 4

hyperthyroid or cachetic (a syndrome characterised by loss of skeletal muscle mass, with or without loss of fat mass)

Question 5

How is oedema classified?

Answer 5

• generalised or localised to one limb or region or associated with abdominal fluid
• pitting, cold, warm or oozing in nature

Question 6

Indoor pets should not have FBs in their coat (fleas (dirt), ticks, other ectoparasites etc). True or false?

Answer 6

True

Question 7

Is pain on dorsi/ventroflexion or lateral movement of the head a problem?

Answer 7

Yes

Question 8

What may be relevant to a brief cranial nerve exam?

Answer 8

The way the pet holds its jaw close, the function both of sensation and of motor ability of the maxillary muscles and the appearance of the eyes. Monitoring for superficial and deep changes within the eyeballs and periorbital region extends this process.

Question 9

How is tear production assessed?

Answer 9

Schirmer tear test

Question 10

What is often the ‘mass’ that owners report when their animal has lost muscle weight in face?

Answer 10

Temporal muscle atrophy reveals the occipital bone

Question 11

How can airflow through the nares be assessed?

Answer 11

Contralateral compression of the nares or animal breathing onto a metal surface.

Question 12

what are the teeth examined for?

Answer 12

calculus, caries, fractures, displacement, discolouration

Question 13

what must you check for in first time examination of kitten/puppy?

Answer 13

Cleft palate and other congenital abnormalities

Question 14

Define kyphosis

Answer 14

where the top of the back is excessively rounded

Question 15

Define PPDH

Answer 15

peritoneal-pericardial diaphragmatic hernia. may be associated with deformities of the xiphoid region of the sternum (you may be able to insert finger into thoracic cavity and touch heart)

Question 16

Define PMI

Answer 16

Point of maximal intesnity (of the heart) This is normally over the left 4th to 6th intercoastal space at the level of the costochondral junction. Deviations imply cardiac or thoracic cavity diseases.

Question 17

How does the penis of neutered and non-neutered tomcats differ?

Answer 17

Neutered tomcats have small to no spines present on the penis, in contrast to intact tomcats.

Question 18

What might you palpate when examining the abdomen from behind versus laterally?

Answer 18

BEHIND: bilateral changes, kidney assessment, mid-abdominal masses
LATERAL: indication of hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, bladder stones or enlarged bladder.

Question 19

4 general causes of abdominal enlargement

Answer 19

fluid or fat accumulation, muscle laxity, abdominal organ enlargement. Determine using gentle ballotment.

Question 20

What can easily be palpated in the cat/small dog? 4

Answer 20

intestines, spleen, bladder, kidneys

Question 21

What does an enlarged spleen suggest in cats?

Answer 21

mast cell disease, lymphoma or other neoplastic disease

Question 22

What does a large irregular spleen in dogs suggest?

Answer 22

strongly suggests hemangiosarcoma although there are other causes too

Question 23

DDx for abdominal pain

Answer 23

referred spinal pain, abdominal pain, generalised pain, discomfort. needs correlation with lab tests and clinical signs.

Question 24

When can you palpate the right kidney of the dog?

Answer 24

When enlarged or displayed (you can normally palpate the left kidney)

Question 25

what are love handles?

Answer 25

symmetric enlargement of the lumbar muscles and fat pads

Question 26

what do you identify on a normal rectal exam?

Answer 26

• symmetric, bilobed, non-painful rubbery textured prostate gland with a median raphe
• peripheral tissue should evoke no pain or irregularity
• anal sacks (4 and 8 o’clock positions)
• (perineal hernia)
• (rectal prolapse vs ileo-colic intussusception)

Question 27

what must be examined prior to examining the limbs?

Answer 27

the head and neck - particularly in larger breeds of dog, cervical conditions cause neck guarding and failure to thrive, with nondescript signs of pain, lameness and malaise.

Question 28

Define claudication

Answer 28

a condition in which cramping pain in the leg is induced by exercise, typically caused by obstruction of the arteries.

Question 29

Define panosteitis

Answer 29

Panosteitis is a bone disease of dogs that is characterized by bone proliferation and remodeling.

Question 30

Where is the thermoregulatory centre?

Answer 30

Anterioir hypothalamus (AH)