Topic 28 - Examination of the pulse in small animals. The quality and alterations of the pulse. Flashcards
Examination method of arteries:
- Digital palpation, PULSE!!
- Blood pressure measurement
- Blood flow registration (doppler US)
- Pulse wave velocity (humans)
Which artery, in dogs and cats, do we examine the pulse?
Femoral artery
should be palpated on both sides, should be symmetric
Which parameters to examine for an artery?
- Frequency
- Rhythm
- Quality
- Duration of the pulse wave
Normal findings for an artery:
- Symmetric
- The rate is physiological
- The rhythm is regular
- The size, strength and duration is even
How to measure the size of the pulse quality?
We find the pulse pressure by finding the difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure
Abnormal findings of the pulse quality, how to describe the findings:
- Irregular pulse
- Uneven pulse
- The size is; large or small, hyper/hypokinetic
- The compressibility is strong or weak, hard or soft
- The duration is sluggish, skipping
Abnormal findings of pulse quality:
- Wiry
- Thready
- Bumping
- Thrill
- Paradox pulse
- Pulsus alternans
- Pulse deficit
What is a thready pulse quality?
small, prolonged and weak
due to:
Heart failure
Hypovolemia
What is a wiry pulse quality?
small, brief and hard
What is a bumping pulse quality?
Skipping and large
due to:
Aortic insufficiency
Anaemia
Fever
Bradycardia
What is a thrilling pulse quality?
Partly compressed artey, anaemia?
What is a paradox pulse?
The pulse is changing with respiration
= Pericardial tamponade
What is pulsus alternans due to?
arrhythmia or cardiomyopathy
What is pulse deficit?
no pulse wave after a heart beat
= arrhythmia
