Triage and Major Body System Assessment

Question 1

When an emergency patient is presented, what are the three first things that are done?

Answer 1

ABC’s (airway, breathing, circulation), Capsule history, major body system assessment.

Question 2

What are the three major body systems?

Answer 2

Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Neurological

Question 3

What are the most important things in respiratory system assessment?

Answer 3

Respiratory rate, respiratory auscultation, observe from afar where possible.

Question 4

What is Paradoxical abdominal movement and what does it indicate?

Answer 4

When chest cavity expands, abdomen moves in. This is abnormal. Indicates pathology such as diaphragmatic rupture.

Question 5

How is it important to auscultate the lungs?

Answer 5

In noughts and crosses pattern, listening for changes.

Question 6

What is Dyspnea?

Answer 6

Shortness of breath

Question 7

Where in the respiratory system does inspiratory effort and reffered airway noise (loud) on auscultation indicate there is a problem?

Answer 7

Upper airway

Question 8

Where in the respiratory system does expiratory effort and wheezing on auscultation indicate there is a problem?

Answer 8

Lower airway

Question 9

Where in the respiratory system does some inspiratory effort and mixed patterns, and harsh lung sounds or crackles on auscultation indicate there is a problem?

Answer 9

Pulmonary Parenchyma

Question 10

Where in the respiratory system does short, shallow breathing, and dull lung sounds and distance heart sounds on auscultation indicate there is a problem?

Answer 10

Pleural space

Question 11

Where does Irregular (often slow) breathing and quieter lung sounds on auscultation indicate there is a problem?

Answer 11

Neurological problem

Question 12

What are the two important things to assess neurological system?

Answer 12

Gait and mentation

Question 13

How can mentation status be classified into four categories? Explain them.

Answer 13

Alert, Obtunded (dull but rousable), Stuporous (only rousable by painful stimuli), Comatose

Question 14

What are the important things to consider when assessing the Cardiovascular system?

Answer 14

Mucous membranes (colour and capillary refill time), Heart rate and auscultation sounds, Pulse evaluation (location, rate, rhythm, profile, duration).

Question 15

What colour are normal mucous membranes, and what is a normal capillary refill time (CRT)?

Answer 15

Normal MM = Pink

Normal CRT = 1-13/4 seconds.

Question 16

What are the normal resting heart rates of dogs, small dogs and cats?

Answer 16

Dogs = 80-120bpm
Small dogs = 120-140bpm
Cats = 180-200bpm

Question 17

What does a heart rate >220-240 bpm indicate?

Answer 17

Usually indicates arrythmias.

Question 18

What are the four types of shock? Explain them.

Answer 18

Hypovolaemic - low circulating BV
Distributive - Inappropriate vasodilation causing alterations in distribution
Cardiogenic - Failure of heart to pump effectively
Obstructive - Obstruction to blood flow

Question 19

What pulses is it important to be able to feel in the normal animal?

Answer 19

Femoral and metatarsal

Question 20

If a dog has moderate tachycardia, a pulse profile narrower and higher than normal (bounding/snappy), pinker than normal mucous membranes, rapid CRT (less than 1s) and metatarsal pulses are still palpable, which severity of hypovolaemic shock does this indicate?

Answer 20

Moderate hypovolaemic shock

Question 21

What effect does moderate hypovolaemia shock have on heart rate, pulse profile, muscous membrane colour, CRT, and metarsal pulses?

Answer 21

Dog has moderate tachycardia, a pulse profile narrower and higher than normal (bounding/snappy), pinker than normal muscous membranes, rapid CRT (less than 1s) and metatarsal pulses are still palpable.

Question 22

If a dog has tachycardia, narrow and severely decreased amplitude in pulse profile, grey/white mucous membranes, prolonged CRT (>2s) and absent metatarsal pulses, which severity of hypovolaemic shock does this indicate?

Answer 22

Severe hypovolaemia

Question 23

What effect does severe hypovolaemia have on heart rate, pulse profile, muscous membrane colour, CRT, and metarsal pulses?

Answer 23

Dog has tachycardia, narrow and severely decreased amplitude in pulse profile, grey/white mucous membranes, prolonged CRT (>2s) and absent metatarsal pulses.

Question 24

What is a normal respiratory rate of an animal?

Answer 24

15-30 breaths per minute