Topic 5 - Significance, methods and order of the skin examination. Flashcards
Latin name for skin:
integumentum
Methods for skin examination:
Inspection
Palpation
Smelling
Which parts to look at, when performing a skin examination?
Hair coat
Skin
External ear canal
Planum nasale
Claws/nails
Footpads
Which parameters do we check for during hair examination?
- Colour
- Stiffness/loos hair
- Abnormalities: parasites
Normal hair:
Shiny, with density
Normal colour of hair:
Black
White
Brown
etc
Stiffness of the hair:
Depends on the breed
How to examine if the hair is loose, and what is normal?
Pull out hair
Normal: Can be pulled with medium effort
Which parameters to examine during skin examination?
Condition of epidermis
Colour
Smelling
Temperature
Moistness
Thickness
Elasticity
Abnormalities
Normal condition of epidermis:
surface is intact
Normal color of skin:
light pink or greyish white, often with pigments
Normal temperature of skin
Temperature is close of the environment
Normal moistness of skin:
content is average
Normal Thickness of skin:
normal.
Skin is thinnest on pinnae (ear flap), inguinal and perianal areas
Abnormalities of skin:
- Haemorrhages
- Ectoparasites
- skin lesions
- Skin swelling
- Skin sensitivity (often due to lesions)
Normal claws:
- Pigmented
- Temperature is same as floor
- No pain
- consistency is hard
- Surface is intact
Normal footpads:
- Colour: black, light pink or pigmented
- Temperature is same as floot
- Surface is smooth + intact
- No pain
- Medium thick and sensitive
The growth of the hair follicle is cyclical, name the different stages:
- Anagen
- Catagen
- Telogen
- Exogen
What is the anagen phase?
The active, growing period
What is the catagen phase?
The transitional period
What is the telogen phase?
The resting period
What is the exogen phase?
The shedding phase
How many shedding phases does exist? name them:
2
Seasonal and mosaic (random)
Which type of shedding phase does cat and dogs have?
Mosaic, but the shedding is peaked in sping and autumn
Additional exams for skin examination:
Skin scraping
Laboratory exams: Blood + microbiology
Cytology
Biopsy
What is skin scraping done for?
To diagnose ectoparasites
What are laboratory exams done for?
Blood: check blood count, biochemistry
Microbiology: culture bacteria
Which tools are needed for cytology?
Swab, smear, impression, scraping, aspiration
What are cytology done for?
To determine inflammation or neoplasms
What is biopsy done for?
Final diagnostic of skin problems, neoplasm and auto-immune diseases.
Name the order of skin examination:
- Hair
- Condition of the skin
- Physical examination of skin lesions
- Swelling
- Cutaneous appendages
- External ear
What are cutaneous appendages?
claws and nails
What is complete loss of a claw called?
Onychomadesis
What is crumbling of the claw called?
Onychorrhexis