Triage

Question 1

What should be asked during a phone triage?

Answer 1

• Callers phone number/location (you can contact them! And get estimate ETA)
• Nature of injury (alter order of questioning?)
• Is the animal breathing? ( Y/N, Respiratory distress) could alter further questions
• What is the level of consciousness? (seizures, head trauma, poor oxygenation)
• Can the animal stand? (collapse)
• Is there any bleeding? (arterial haemorrhage or venous)
• Are there any obvious fractures? (open/closed)
• Can the animal urinate? (anuric or obstruction)
• Is there abdominal distension? (rapid onset?)
• Penetrating wound? (location indicates level of urgency)
• Has the pet ingested something? (toxin)
• When did the incident occur? (can let you know urgency and course of treatment)

Question 2

What is some telephone first aid?

Answer 2

• Airway obstruction – Heimlich manoeuvre?
• Dyspnoea – carry animal, keep cool
• Bleeding – elevate, apply pressure
• Stabilise spinal/limb – rigid board/splints
• Seizures – avoid stimulation, puppy/diabetic?
• Penetrating Foreign Body – leave in place!
• Burns – lavage with cool water
• Heatstroke – spray with luke warm water
• Toxin ingestion – induce vomiting??

Question 3

What is Adrenaline known as?

Answer 3

Epinephrine

Question 4

What does Obtunded mean?

Answer 4

conscious but poor response

to pain

Question 5

What does Stupor mean?

Answer 5

severely reduced responsiveness,

but, responsive to pain

Question 6

What does Coma mean?

Answer 6

no response to any stimuli – BAD!

Question 7

What should be remembered about Pulse less Electrical Activity (PEA)?

Answer 7

• Non- shockable
• ECG may initially look normal
• Rate less than 200bpm
• QRS become increasingly wide / bizarre – Ventricular contraction phase
• High quality compressions most important
• Poor success rate

Question 8

What should be remembered about Ventricular fibrillation?

Answer 8

• Shockable – most common arrest rhythm in humans
• (Can try pre-cordial thump)
• No regular complexes
• Check leads
• NO PULSES PRODUCED

Question 9

What should be remembered about Pulseless Ventricular Tachycardia (pulseless VT)?

Answer 9

• Shockable
• Regular complexes
• Rate is GREATER than 200bpm
• NO PULSES PRODUCED

Question 10

What should be remembered about Asystole?

Answer 10

• Non-shockable
• Flat line
• No regular complexes - No electrical activity
• Check placement of leads!
• NO PULSES PRODUCED
• Treated with adrenaline (epinephrine)