Small animal physical exam

Question 1

How to introduce - 3

Answer 1

Introduce yourself, greet animal, make sure you get name and gender right!

Question 2

PE styles - 3

Answer 2

• Head to tail (easier, less likely to miss things))
• Systems approach (a lot of moving around)
• Emergency presentation

Question 3

Patient observation

Answer 3

Initially from a distance, use eyes/ears

Question 4

Patient contact - 5

Answer 4

Symmetry, shape, size, texture, patient response

Question 5

Normal temperature

Answer 5

37.5-38.5 (100-102F)

Question 6

Normal pulse - dogs and cats

Answer 6

Dog = 60-120 (higher in puppies)

Cat in consult = 180-200

Question 7

Normal resp rate

Answer 7

12-30

Question 8

BCS

Answer 8

Nestle/Purina - 9 point scale (4/5 normal in dog)

Royal Canin - 5 point scale (2.5 normal)

Question 9

Signs of pain in eyes - 4

Answer 9

• Blepharospasm (increased lid closure frequency and tone)
• Enopthalmos (posterior displacement of eyeball within orbit)
• Lacrimation (tear secretion)
• Photophobia (bright light sensitivity

Question 10

Which MM do you look at? 2 How to assess? 3

Answer 10

• Eyes (retropulse eye to do this)
• Gums

-ASSESS: colour, CRT, Hydration (dry, tacky, moist)

Question 11

How are greyhound’s MM different?

Answer 11

High haematocrit therefore pink membranes

Question 12

How to assess hydration status 3

Answer 12

Skin turgor, eye position, MM. These allow a percentage estimation.

Question 13

LNs to check (2)

Answer 13

Submandibular (beware of salivary tissue)
Pres-scapular
Popliteal
Others

Question 14

Where do you hear heart?

Answer 14

3-5th ICS

Question 15

How to perform thoracic auscultation?

Answer 15

Noughts and crosses approach, evaluate all lung fields

Compare sides, and dorsal to ventral

Question 16

What do you feel on abdominal palpation - cranially 4, middle 1, caudally 3?

Answer 16

CRANIAL: liver, spleen, (stomach and kidneys)
MIDDLE: intestinal loops
CAUDAL: bladder, prostate, colon

Question 17

What can you assess via rectal examination? 8

Answer 17

Prostate
Uterus
Urethra
Pelvis
Sublumbar LNs
Faeces
Anal sacs
Foreign material

Question 18

Points of an orthopaedic assessment

Answer 18

Joints (pain, swelling, heat, ROM, crepitus)

Bones (pain, swelling, instability)

Question 19

Points of a neurologic assessment

Answer 19

Only if evidence of neurological disease - seizures, ataxia, CN deficits

Question 20

Points of a dermatologic assessment

Answer 20

If evidence of skin abnormalities - hair loss, pruritis, flaking etc

Question 21

How is a PE of cats different?

Answer 21

• Mentation - generally quieter in clinic
• MM - generally paler and harder to assess
• Thyroids - palpatein every cat, pinch thumb and fingers around larynx and move towards thoracic inlet
• Parasternal auscultation important (for cardiac auscultation)
• Palpate kidneys (possible in normal; via ventral one handed- approach)

Question 22

Acronym for emergency assessment

Answer 22

MBS = major body system - cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological