Physical Examination Terms and Techniques

Question 1

TPR

Answer 1

temperature, pulse, and respiration

Question 2

symmetry

Answer 2

asses and compare both sides

Question 3

asymmetry

Answer 3

anatomical, incoordination, facial, and body weight

Question 4

palpation

Answer 4

to feel

Question 5

auscultation

Answer 5

to listen, generally with a stethoscope

Question 6

percussion

Answer 6

tapping to produce sound

Question 7

inspection

Answer 7

visual observations

Question 8

often missed areas during physical exam

Answer 8

under stomach, groin, under tail, throat latch

Question 9

Important components of physical exam

Answer 9

signalment, history, and presenting complaint

Question 10

signalment

Answer 10

age, breed, sex, primary use

Question 11

history components

Answer 11

previous episodes/treatment, others w/ symptoms, medicine history, travel, changes in management

Question 12

presenting complaint

Answer 12

why were you asked to look at the horse, duration, progression, treatments given

Question 13

3 things to observe about the horse

Answer 13

condition, behavior, and habits

Question 14

condition

Answer 14

observed in natural environment before moving

Question 15

common habits

Answer 15

cribbing, weaving, bruxism (grinding teeth)

Question 16

cribbing

Answer 16

placing front incisors on an object (fence or stall) and sucking in air fast, can be a condition or a nervous habit

Question 17

body condition scoring

Answer 17

objective system of evaluating a horse’s level of stored body fat and assigning a numerical score to allow for the comparison between animals

Question 18

locations for body scoring

Answer 18

crest, withers, loin, tailhead (dock), ribs, behind shoulder

Question 19

thin (3)

Answer 19

prominent tailhead, discernible ribs, rounded hook bones, accentuated withers, shoulders, and neck

Question 20

Fat (8)

Answer 20

fat along withers and neck, thick neck, area behind shoulder filled flush w/ body

Question 21

weight estimation formula

Answer 21

[girth (in) x girth (in) x length (in)]/330

Question 22

ideal bcs

Answer 22

• 5-6 is good for an average horse
• varies by breed, performance, and type (broodmare etc.)
  -mid scores are possible