Physical Care and Procedures Michael Lavoie B S
Physical Care and Procedures Michael Lavoie, B. S. Middlesex Community College Veterinary Assistant Program September 2011
Vital Signs l Heart Rate- number of beats the heart makes over a specific amount of time ¡ Dog- 70 -160 beats per minute- dependent on size of dog ¡ Cat- 160 -240 beats per minute l Technique¡ Hand over heart or use stethoscope ¡ Count the beats over 15 seconds and multiply by 4
Vital Signs l Respiration rate- frequency of breathing, based on breaths per minute ¡ Dog- 10 -30 breaths per minute ¡ Cat- 10 -30 breaths per minute l Technique¡ Observe flank motion ¡ Count the breaths over 15 seconds and multiply by 4
Vital Signs l Temperature- the degree of heat in a living organism ¡ Dog- 101 -102. 5 F ¡ Cat- 101 -102. 5 F l Technique¡ Use rectal or digital thermometer, insert into rectum for 1 minute ¡ Record temperature in degrees F
Vital Signs l Heart Rate- number of beats the heart makes over a specific amount of time ¡ Dog- 70 -160 beats per minute- dependent on size of dog ¡ Cat- 160 -240 beats per minute l Technique¡ Hand over heart or use stethoscope ¡ Count the beats over 15 seconds and multiply by 4
Capillary Refill Time l There are many small blood vessels called capillaries in an animal's gums. l When an area of the gum is pressed, blood is forced out of these capillaries. l When the pressure is released, the blood should almost immediately refill the capillaries. l Normal capillary refill time, or CRT in dogs and cats is 1. 5 seconds
Prolonged CRT A prolonged capillary refill time (CRT) occurs when the blood is not flowing adequately. l This can occur if the pet is in, or is going into, shock. l It can also occur in certain heart diseases. l Taking the CRT is a fast and easy measurement which may indicate the pet has a serious condition. l
Mucous Membrane Color l Yellow gums can indicate liver failure or disease. ¡ l White or pale gums can indicate blood loss. ¡ l If there is not enough blood to circulate throughout your pet's body, or if your pet's body cannot properly circulate the blood, there will be very little color in the gum line. Brick red gums can indicate bacterial infection. ¡ l This might be expected if your pet has already been diagnosed with a liver condition or is on certain types of medication. This is often medically referred to as sepsis. Blue gums indicate hypoxia. ¡ This occurs when your pet cannot breathe or is not getting enough oxygen through breathing.
Mucous Membrane l Some dogs have dark or black patches on their gums. l This is normal for some breeds. l This dark discoloration does not develop overnight and is typically not a symptom. l Even black tongues are characteristic to some breeds, such as chows.
Weight in Cats, much like humans, may suffer from weight problems l With a choice of tasty food and treats and a relatively sedate lifestyle, indoor cats are particularly affected by this problem. l Excess fat can have a bad effect on the cat's overall health. l
Weight in Cats l Overweight cats are prone to heart disease, arthritis, and a series of other health problems, and are often in poor shape. l Some cats are very overweight and are considered obese. l Obese cats find it difficult to move around are often short of breath.
Factors that affect weight difference in cat: l Breed l Sex
Breed This is the fundamental parameter in assessing a cat's ideal weight. l For the larger breeds, such as the Maine Coon, a large fully-grown male can weigh 18 pounds (8 kilos) without being the least overweight. l A female of a smaller breed, the Singapura, may actually be overweight at a mere 7 pounds (3 kilos)! l A kilo- or kilogram- is equal to 2. 2 pounds l
Sex There is a noticeable difference in weight between males and females of the same breed. l Males are usually 2 -4 pounds heavier than females. l Note that whether a cat is neutered or not should not affect its weight. l The only difference is that, in order to achieve the same weight, neutered cats require about a third less calories. l
Assessing your Cat’s Weight l The best way to tell if your cat is overweight is by checking the cat. l Move your hands along the sides of the body and gently try to feel the ribs. l If the cat is within range of its ideal weight, you should be able to easily count the ribs.
Assessing your Cat’s Weight The ribs should be covered with a layer of fat, but not to an extent that would make it difficult to feel them. l With obese cats it is easy to see that they are larger than usual, have a large abdomen, and experience difficulty walking and grooming themselves. l Obesity can sometimes be a side-effect of a more serious disease and requires urgent veterinary attention. l
1. EMACIATED Ribs visible on shorthaired cats; no palpable fat; severe abdominal tuck; lumbar vertebrae and pelvic bones easily palpated. 2. VERY THIN Between 1 and 3 3. THIN Ribs easily palpable with minimal fat covering; lumbar vertebrae obvious; obvious waist behind ribs minimal abdominal fat. 4. UNDERWEIGHT Between 3 and 5. 5. IDEAL Well proportioned. Observe waist behind ribs; ribs palpable with slight fat covering; abdominal fat pad minimal.
6. OVERWEIGHT Between 5 and 7. 7. HEAVY Ribs not easily palpated, with moderate fat covering; waist barely visible; rounded abdomen, moderate abdominal fat pad 8. OBESE Between 7 and 9. 9. GROSSLY OBESE Ribs not palpable under heavy fat cover; heavy fat deposits over lumbar area, face and limbs; distension of abdomen with no waist; extensive abdominal fat deposits.
Weight in Dogs There are many reasons a dog can become overweight. l The obvious culprits are improper diet and lack of sufficient exercise. l A dog recovering from an illness or injury is usually required to remain sedentary and is therefore at risk for weight gain. l It is also important to know that weight gain may actually be a symptom of some hormonal disorders, such as hypothyroidism or Cushing's syndrome. l
Weight in dogs l Genetic predisposition is a big factor. l Certain dog breeds are simply more prone to obesity than others, such as English Bulldogs, Beagles, Dachshunds, Pugs, Dalmatians and Cocker Spaniels.
Health risks of Obesity in dogs Canine obesity is dangerous because it can lead to a great number of health problems. It may also adversely affect an existing health issue. l The following diseases and disorders may be caused or exacerbated by obesity: l ¡ Cardiac disease Diabetes Hypertension (high blood pressure) Orthopedic injuries (such as cruciate ligament rupture or patellar luxation) Osteoarthritis Respiratory disorders ¡ Various forms of cancer ¡ ¡ ¡
Assessing your dogs weight l Running your hands along your dog's ribcage, you should be able to palpate the ribs covered by a thin layer of fat. ¡ l Looking at your dog from the side, you should be able to see the upward tuck of the abdomen. ¡ l Inability to feel the ribs is a sign of an overweight dog. An overweight dog will have very little or no tuck. Viewing your dog from above, there should be a moderate narrowing at the waist just past the ribcage. ¡ A straight or bulging line from the ribcage to the hips indicates an overweight dog
EMACIATED Ribs, lumbar vertebrae, pelvic bones and all bony prominences evident form a distance. No discernable body fat. Obvious loss of muscle mass. 1. VERY THIN Ribs, lumbar vertebrae and pelvic bones easily visible. No palpable fat. Some evidence of other bony prominence. Minimal loss of muscle mass 2. THIN Ribs easily palpated and may be visible with no palpable fat. Tops of lumbar vertebrae visible. Pelvic bones becoming prominent. Obvious waist and abdominal tuck 3. UNDERWEIGHT Ribs easily palpable, with minimal fat covering. Waist easily noted, viewed form above. Abdominal tuck evident. 4. IDEAL Ribs palpable without excess fat covering. Waist observed behind ribs when viewed from above. Abdomen tucked when viewed from the side.
6. OVERWEIGHT Ribs palpable with slight excess fat covering. Waist is discernable viewed from above but is not prominent. Abdominal tuck apparent. 7. HEAVY Ribs palpable with difficulty, heavy fat cover. Noticeable fat deposits over lumbar area and base of tail. Waist absent or barely visible. Abdominal tuck may be absent. 8. OBESE Ribs not palpable under heavy fat cover, or palpable only with significant pressure. Heavy fat deposits over lumbar area and base of tail. Waist absent. No abdominal tuck. Obvious abdominal distension may be present. 9. GROSSLY OBESE Ribs not palpable under heavy fat cover; heavy fat deposits over lumbar area, face and limbs; distension of abdomen with no waist; extensive abdominal fat deposits.
The Flea Completion of the life cycle from egg to adult varies from two weeks to eight months. l Normally the female flea lays about 15 to 20 eggs per day up to 600 in a lifetime. l Usual hosts for fleas are dogs, cats, rabbits, mice, squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons, opossums, foxes, chickens, and humans. l Eggs loosely laid in the hair, drop out where the pet rests, sleeps or nests (rugs, carpets, upholstered furniture, cat or dog boxes, kennels, sand boxes, etc. ) l
Eggs hatch in two days to two weeks into larvae found indoors in floor cracks & crevices, along baseboards, under rug edges and in furniture or beds. l Sand gravel are very suitable for flea development which is the reason fleas are erroneously called "sand fleas. " l Outdoor development occurs in sandy gravel soils (moist sand boxes, dirt crawlspace under the house, under shrubs, etc. ) where the pet may rest or sleep. l Larvae are blind, avoid light, pass through three larval stages and take a week to several months to develop. l
Their food consists of digested blood from adult flea feces, dead skin, hair, feathers, and other organic debris. (Larvae do not suck blood. ) l Pupa mature to adulthood within a silken cocoon woven by the larva to which pet hair, carpet fiber, dust, grass cuttings, and other debris adheres. l In about five to fourteen days, adult fleas can emerge or may remain resting in the cocoon until the detection of vibration (pet and people movement), pressure (host animal lying down on them), heat, noise, or carbon dioxide (meaning a potential blood source is near). l
Adult fleas cannot survive or lay eggs without a blood meal, but may hibernate from two months to one year without feeding. l There is often a desperate need for flea control after a family has returned from a long vacation. The house has been empty with no cat or dog around for fleas to feed on. When the family and pets are gone, flea eggs hatch and larvae pupate. The adult fleas fully developed inside the pupal cocoon remains in a kind of "limbo" for a long time until a blood source is near. The family returning from vacation is immediately attacked by waiting hungry hordes of fleas. (In just 30 days, 10 female fleas under ideal conditions can multiply to over a quarter million different life stages. ) l
Flea and Tick Control for Cats and Dogs l Use as directed by veterinarian. l Different Veterinary Practices use different protocols.
Questions?
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