Physical examination: Vital signs, listening, touching and looking Ch 16 Flashcards
Assessment
Evaluation of a condition
Signalment
Description of the animal with information about the animal like species, breed, age and sexual status (neutered or intact)
Vital Signs
Parameters taken from the animals to assess its health
Fever
Elevated body temperature
Febrile
fever
Afebrile
without a fever
Pyrexia
Another term for fever
Pyr/o
fire
Hypothermia
Decrease in body temperature
Pulse
The number of times the heart beats per minute, taken by palpating the artery
Pulse rate
pulse
Heart rate (HR)
Number of times the heart contracts and relaxes per minute, taken by auscultating the heart with a stethoscope.
Respiration
The number of respirations per minute (one total inhale and one total exhale)
Respiration rate (RR)
Respiration
Blood pressure (BP)
The pressure exerted by the blood against the walls of the blood vessels, especially the arteries
Sphygmomanometer
An instrument used to measure blood pressure
Doppler
An instrument used to listen to blood sounds during the measurement of blood pressure in animals.
Auscultation
The act of listening
Palpation
Examination by feeling (during palpation one can feel the texture, size, consistency, and location of body parts or masses)
Percussion
Examination by tapping the surface to determine density of a body area (the sound produced by this varies depending on the amount of fluid, solid, or air present in the area being examined)
Speculum
An instrument used to enlarge the opening of canal or cavity (It can be attached to an otoscope - or another scope-to provide better view of a canal or cavity or a mouth spectrum can be used to better visualize the oral cavity)
