Taking Vital Signs & Exam Procedures

12 Areas to Examine General Appearance - Healthy overall, eyes bright, coat shiny, too fat or too thin? Integumentary (skin)- Coat shiny/full, or dull/brittle? Bald patches, rashes, or flaking skin? Muscoskeletal - History of lameness or visible lameness? Broken bones? Circulatory - Coughing, fainting, dyspnea, or heart murmurs? Respiratory - Coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge, exercise intolerance Digestive - Eating normally? Diet changes? Toxin (rat poison, antifreeze) ingested? Vomiting or diarrhea? Genitourinary - Abnormal discharge, smell, or color ? Swelling, inability or difficulty in urinating and defecating? Nervous system - Seizures, behavior changes, head tilt, difficulty walking? Lymph nodes – Swollen? Ears - Discharge, unusual odor, or head shaking? Eyes - Excessive tearing or discharge? Visual difficulties? Mouth - Gums and teeth healthy, moist, pink mucous membranes? Very red, cyanotic, or pale membranes are abnormal.

A Healthy Animal has... Clear bright eyes with pink membranes around the eyes. An appearance of contentment. An alert attitude and interest in surroundings. A good appetite. A sleek, shiny coat with hair that is pliable, not dry and brittle. Feces and urine that are easily passed and normal in appearance. Temperature, pulse, and respiration in normal range.

TPR Temperature Pulse Respiration Rate To take the temperature of an animal, insert the thermometer into the anus while the animal is in standing position Pulse Using a stethoscope, count heartbeats for 15 seconds then multiply by 4 Respiration Rate For 15 seconds, count the number of breaths the animal takes This is when restraint comes in handy! TPR

Ranges for TPR Animals Canine Feline Equine Lagomorph Temperature Pulse 70-140 bpm *may vary depending on size 110-140 bpm 28-44 bpm 100-325 bpm Respiration 10-34 rpm 16 – 40 rpm 10-24 rpm 30-60 rpm Ranges for TPR Remember: If it’s not in the medical records, it didn’t happen!

Average TPR’s Normal Temperature ˚F Pulse Beats/min. Respiration   Normal Temperature ˚F Pulse Beats/min. Respiration Breaths/min. Cat 101.5 110-130 20-30 Cattle 101.0 60-70 10-30 Chicken 107.0 200-400 15-30 Dog 102.0 70-120 Goat 102.5 40-60 12-20 Horse 100.0 30-60 8-16 Rabbit 103.0 123-304 30-45 Sheep 60-90 Snake room temp 12 1-2

Temperature - Dogs Temp (F) Diagnostics Call a vet? 106+ EMERGENCY - IMMEDIATELY COOL YOUR PET IMMEDIATELY 105 High Fever YES - within a day 104 Moderate Fever YES 103 102 Normal No 101 100 99 99-95 Mild Hypothermia 95 or lower EMERGENCY - WARM YOUR PET IMMEDIATELY

Pulse Variations may occur due to: Procedure Anxiety Exercise Pain Disease Shock species Procedure Using your index and middle fingers, gently roll them over the artery feeling for the pulse. Count the number of pulses in 15 seconds. Multiple the number of pulses in 15 seconds by 4 to get beats/minute.

Dog/Cat Pulse

Heart Rate BPM– Beats per minute Bradycardia - With illness or injury, a slower-than-normal rate can indicated heart disease or shock. Tachycardia - A racing heart can also point to shock. Either requires prompt medical attention. A stopped heart is the top emergency of all and requires immediate CPR. Pet Normal Heart Rate Small dog (<20 lbs) 70-180 Medium-Large Dog (>20 lbs) 60-140 Cats 120-240 Puppies up to 220 Kittens 200-300

Horse/Cow Pulse

Respiration Respiration is evaluated by looking at three parameters. Rate of respiration Depth – degree of chest effort needed to take a breath (deep, shallow) Character (slow, rapid, normal) Procedure Observe the rise and fall of the chest, Count the number of breaths for 15 seconds. Multiple the number of respiration in 15 seconds by 4 to get breaths/minute.

MM is an epithelial tissue that secretes mucus and that lines many body cavities and tubular organs including the gut and respiratory passages. The easiest mucous membranes to evaluate are inside the mouth – the gums and inner cheeks. Colors Pink & Moist: normal Pale or dry: dehydrated or shock Blue: not getting enough oxygen   This dog seems to be in pretty good shape! Oh no, this dog needs some water ASAP! Mucous Membrane (MM)

CRT – Capillary Refill Time Capillaries are tiny blood vessels that link arteries to veins and provide oxygen to bodily tissues. Among other places, they can be found at the surface of the skin. These vessels are what give healthy gums their pink color. They can also be a good indicator of pet health. CRT Diagnostics Call a vet? 1-2 seconds Normal No 2-4 seconds Moderate-poor. Possible dehydration or shock YES 4+ seconds EMERGENCY - Severe problems (dehydration or shock) IMMEDIATELY Less than 1 second EMERGENCY - Severe problems (heatstroke or shock)

Capillary Refill Time (CRT) How to take: Press your finger/nail to the animal’s gums and count how long it takes to turn back to its regular pigmentation Range: 2 seconds or less More than 2 seconds Smile! Capillary Refill Time (CRT)

Dehydration Test (Skin Tenting) The first sign of dehydration is the loss of elasticity in the skin. Under normal hydration, the skin will immediately return to its normal state when you gently pull on it (a light pinch). The more severe the dehydration, the slower the skin will return to normal. Under severe dehydration, the skin remains standing up in a ridge off the body even after releasing it (skin tenting) like a piece of Play-doh. If skin tenting occurs, call a veterinarian immediately.

SOAP S – Subjective O – Objective A – Assessment P – Plan Info based on animal’s overall appearance & description O – Objective Measured facts that can be recorded A – Assessment What the vet determines to be the diagnosis or the patients problem P – Plan Treatment or procedure given to patient

Group rotations – Practice physical exams Vet 3 – Agenda Test next week! -Vital sign ranges -TPR -CRT, MM, Skin tent -SOAP -Physical Exam Make a Kahoot Review Individual – 15 questions with pictures Partnered – 20 questions with pictures **SHARE to “fergusonjr” when completed. This will be a grade! **Include names and period in the description. **DUE by Friday Physical Exam – Role Play Practice With a partner, make up 4 scenarios and submit as a journal through the AET. Submit the scenarios as a journal entry! 1:00 – 1:15 pm – Bird wing & nail clippings / Limoncello Group rotations – Practice physical exams 1:15 – 1:30 pm – Group 2 1:30 – 1: 45 pm – Group 3 1: 45 – 2:00 pm – Group 4 2: 00 – 2:15 pm – Group 1 *With your group, practice the physical exams!