THERAPEUTICS- Farm Animals Flashcards
What are the seven main differences between providing supportive care to farm animals compared to small animals and equids?
- Limited time on the farm
- Re-checks are rare due to the added expense
- Most farm animals are not insured
- Farmers usually have to carry out the nursing and they may have varying capabilities
- Limited hospitilisation facilities
- Limited options for referral
- Farmers often have access to drugs so may begin medicating the animal before you even arrive
If farm animals are insured, which type of insurance is it usually?
Loss of use insurance
What point of care diagnostic testing can you do on a farm?
Clinical examination
Urinalysis
Ketone meter
Brix refractometer
California milk test (CMT)
Calf scour ELISA
What does a Brix refractometer test?
A Brix refractometer tests the quality of colostrum
(T/F) Medication is most commonly administered orally in farm animals
FALSE. Medication is most commonly administered via injection in farm animals
Where should you administer intramuscular injections in farm animals?
The muscles in the neck
Why should you avoid administering intramuscular injections in the rump in farm animals?
You want to avoid intramuscular injections into the rump as you can potentially damage the muscle and this is one of the most valuable portions of the carcass
Where should you administer subcutaneous injections in farm animals?
In the skin behind the shoulder or the skin at the neck
Which three NSAIDS are licensed in cows in the UK?
Flunixin
Ketoprofen
Meloxicam
(T/F) NSAIDS are only licensed for short term treatment in cattle
TRUE. NSAIDS are only licensed for 1 to 5 days of treatment in cattle
(T/F) Steroids are not licensed in cattle
FALSE. Steroids are licensed in cattle
Which α2 adrenoreceptor agonists are licensed in cattle in the UK?
Xylazine
Detomidine
Remember α2 agonists are good sedatives but poor analgesics
Which local anaesthetics are licensed in cattle in the UK?
Procaine and adrenaline preparations
(T/F) Epidural administration of local anaesthetics is not licensed in cows
TRUE. However epidural administration of local anaesthetics is used very commonly in cattle under the cascade
Which analgesic drugs are liscened in sheep in the UK?
No analgesics are licensed in sheep in the UK
Which NSAID is best to use for sheep under the cascade?
Meloxicam as it is licensed for sheep in other countries
What are the clinical signs of mild dehydration in a ruminant (4-7% fluid deficit)?
Skin tent for 2-3 seconds
Slightly sunken eyes
CRT of 2-3 seconds
Moist and shiny mucous membranes
What are the clinical signs of moderate dehydration in a ruminant (8-10% fluid deficit)?
Cold and dry nose
Skin tent for 3-6 seconds
Obviously sunken eyes
CRT of 4-5 seconds
Dull and tacky mucous membranes
What are the clinical signs of severe dehydration in a ruminant (over 10% fluid deficit)?
Weakness
Collapsed
Skin tend over 6 seconds
Severely sunken eyes
CRT over 5 seconds
Dry mucous membranes
Which two sites can you use for skin tenting in ruminants?
Eyelid
Side of the neck
How to you calculate the total fluid requirement for a farm animal patient?
Total fluid requirement = Maintenance fluids + Fluid deficit + Ongoing losses
Go over the farm animal fluid quiz in M14.W3 for practice
What is the average total fluid requirement for an adult cow?
Approximately 100 litres/day
What are the maintenance requirements for an adult ruminant?
50ml/kg/day maintenance fluids
What are the maintenance requirements for a lactating adult ruminant?
100ml/kg/day maintenance fluids
Which two routes of fluid administration can you use in ruminants?
Intravenous fluids
Oral fluids
(T/F) Oral administration is the preferred fluid administration method in ruminants
TRUE. Almost all cases that require fluid administration should receive the fluids orally
How are oral fluids administered to ruminants?
Oral fluids are administered to ruminants using a pump
What fluid rate can you use for oral fluid administration in cows?
You can administer a maximum of 40 litres of oral fluid at one time in cows. You should wait between 6 - 12 hours before the next administration
What is transfaunation?
Transfaunation is the process of transferring rumenal fluid containing microbes and nutrients from a healthy ruminant into a ruminant with impaired rumen digestion
What are the six indicators for intravenous fluids in ruminants?
Shock
Endotoxaemia
Septicaemia
If the gastrointestinal tract is impaired
Severe dehydration (over 10% fluid deficit)
Severe haemorrhage
Which vein do you use for intravenous fluid therapy in cattle?
Jugular vein
Describe how to set up for intravenous fluid therapy in cattle
- Warm the fluids
- Restrain the cow in a crush (for calves, just confine them or tie their legs together) and use a halter to tie their head to the side
- Identify the jugular vein
- About a 1/3 of the way down the jugular vein and clip and surgically prep the site
- Administer local anaesthetic site and perform a venous cutdown procedure to expose the vein
- Place a 14 to 16g catheter in the jugular vein and suture it in place (to the skin)
- Attach the giving set and place a suture to secure the giving set to the patient’s ear
- Fashion a drip stand with whatever you can find (i.e. a pitchfork)
What size catheter do you use for intravenous fluid therapy in cattle?
10 gauge, 3 inch catheter
What rate should you use for intravenous fluid therapy in cattle?
The recommended shock dose is 40-80ml/kg/hr, however realistically you will not be able to open the giving set enough and the catheter will be too small to deliver this rate in adult cows (might manage in calves) so just fully open the giving set to administer as much fluid as you can
(T/F) Disease processes in adult cows are more likely to cause metabolic acidosis than metabolic alkalosis
FALSE. Disease processeses in adult cows are more likely to cause metabolic alkalosis
What can be used to treat metabolic alkalosis in cattle?
Chloride containing fluids as the chloride is negatively charged and will draw out H+ ions from the intracellular space into the intravascular space
What are the three main causes of metabolic acidosis in cows?
Grain overload
Hyposalivation
Diarrhoea in calves
What can be used to treat metabolic acidosis in cattle?
Lactate containing fluids as the lactate will be converted to bicarbonate ions by the liver
How do most diseases in cattle affect their electrolyte balance?
Most diseases in cattle will cause hyponatraemia, hypokalaemia, hypochloraemia and hypocalcaemia
Why should you generally avoid Hartmann’s solution in adult cows?
Hartmann’s contains lactate which can worsen a metabolic alkalosis which is quite common in cows. However, hartmann’s can be useful for treating metabolic acidosis
Why is 0.9% NaCl solution not the best for fluid therapy in cattle?
0.9% NaCl solution does not contain potassium or calcium
What is the best fluid to use in cows and why?
Ringers solution as it does not contain lactate but it does contain sodium, potassium and calcium
What electrolyte supplementation is recommended in freshly calved cows?
Glucose
Proylene glycol
Calcium
What electrolyte supplementation is recommended in cows with a displaced abomasum?
Glucose
Propylene glycol
Calcium
Potassium
What are the indicators for using hypertonic saline for fluid therapy in cattle?
To rapidly increase intravascular volume and stabilise blood pressure
How should you administer hypertonic saline in cattle?
Intravenously
How many litres of isotonic fluid is equivalent to one litre of hypertonic saline?
1 litre of hypertonic saline is equivalent to 5 litres of isotonic fluid
What rate of hypertonic saline should you administer IV?
4ml/kg over 10 minutes
(T/F) You should alway follow up IV administration of hypertonic saline with oral adminstration of isotonic fluid
TRUE.
How do you calculate the volume of hypertonic saline you require as well as the volume of isotonic fluid you should administer afterwards?
- First calculate the total fluid requirement for one day
- Secondly, calculate the volume of hypertonic fluid required by multiplying the body weight (kg) by 4ml/kg
- Multiply your answer by 5 to determine how many litres of isotonic fluid would equate to the litres of hypertonic saline
- Take this value away from the total fluid requirement to find out the litres of isotonic fluid you should administer following IV hypertonic saline administration
Which seven questions should you ask when taking a history for a downer cow?
Has she calved recently?
Were there any complications during calving?
Has she stood since she calved?
Is she able to move at all?
How long has she been down?
What is her demeanour/appetite?
Has she received any treatment?
Which diagnostic test can you do to investigate a downer cow?
You can take bloods however you cannot run the bloods at the farm so it is important to treat the cow and then you can store the bloods back at the practice. If the cow is not recovering it can be useful to run the bloods for further investigation
What are the farmer’s nursing responsibilities regarding the downer cow when you leave the farm?
Provide food and water
Turning and lifting the cow
Provide a clean, dry and comfy environment
Provide a non/slip surface
Help the cow to stand
Administer any ongoing meds
Milking the downer cow
What can happen if a cow is down for over six hours?
If a cow is down for over six hours they can develop downer cow syndrome where there is damage to the nerves and muscles due to compression
When should you consider euthanising a downer cow?
If their welfare is compromised
If the farmer is unable or unwilling to care for the cow
If the cow is making no attempt to rise
If they have been down (but moving) for over three weeks
