Page 193 - Zoo Animal Learning and Training

Chapter 10 Management of Hospitalized and Boarding Pets 177

TIP BOX 10.2

You should be able to do this math in your head. Practice!
If having difficulty with the 15 seconds multiplied by 4, try
breaking it down to halves. For example, if the heart rate
was counted at 34 beats for 15 seconds add 34 + 34 = 68 and
then 68 + 68 = 136.

On occasion you will have a panting dog or a purring
cat that obscures the heart sounds. If possible gently
close the dog’s mouth or offer up a treat and count for 6 FIGURE 10.7 Digital thermometer and lubricant.
seconds to capture the heart rate. Cats can be distracted
with treats, running water, or a little isopropyl alcohol on Temperatures taken using an axial location do not
a cotton ball. However, these tricks don’t always work so give you core body temperature; however, some con-
use the pulse points to count the heart rate. sider it accurate enough.
The areas shown in blue on Figure 10.6 are the aus- Digital thermometers (Figure 10.7) usually give a fast
cultation positions for the lungs on both sides of the temperature reading in about 10 seconds. Keep your bat-
thorax. Listening for a clear whoosh of sound in all teries up‐to‐date as when they run down it will either take
four quadrants of the lungs and then move down to longer to get a reading or you will get an inaccurate
listen for gastrointestinal sounds. Dogs and cats should reading. Mercury thermometers are not used as often
have almost continuous borborygmi as you listen for a because of environmental considerations. The ther-
minute, horses should have 1–3 and should be checked mometer tip is lubricated with a water‐based lube and
in several spots on the abdomen. Ruminants should inserted deep enough to ensure the tip is inside the
have 2–3 contractions of the rumen per minute. This pelvic canal proper. As you introduce the thermometer,
can be heard the best at the left paralumbar fossa. apply a slight twist to ease the pressure and allow for an
Record the lung sounds and number of gut sounds smoother entry. Push the start button on the thermom-
heard per minute. eter once in place; it will beep to indicate it is ready to be
The next evaluation is respiration. Respiratory rate is read. Meanwhile, hold the thermometer in place by rest-
measured by observing the number of breaths, one inha- ing the side of your hand against the patient’s rear
lation and exhalation equaling one respiration. Observe quarter. You may hold the tail with the other hand. When
the abdomen just caudal to the rib cage to facilitate the thermometer beeps, withdraw it and mark the
visual determination of the respiratory rate or auscultate reading in the patient’s file in either degrees Fahrenheit
the patient using a stethoscope over the dorsolateral or Celsius depending on the setting. Clean the ther-
aspect of the thorax. Count the respirations per minute mometer with soap and water then spray with a disinfec-
(RPM) for 15 seconds and multiply by 4. A panting or tant and wipe dry with a paper towel.
frightened patient can breathe so rapidly that accurate Digital ear thermometers have a small cone that is
measurement is difficult. In this circumstance, simply protected by a plastic sleeve. The pinna is held straight
note on the medical record that the patient was panting. up and the cone is placed as far into the vertical ear
Note the rhythm, sound, and effort of the respiratory canal as possible. If the ear is showing signs of infection
cycle. The rhythm should be regular, there should not be or inflammation, which is indicated by heat, redness,
any sound other than the whoosh of air, nor should it and swelling, do not use the aural thermometer as this
seem like the patient is apneic. Is it gasping? What color ear will be quite painful. Be sure to eject the plastic sleeve
is the tongue and mucous membranes (MM)? Normal into the garbage after each patient.
is pink to light red. If they are brick red, dark red, or
blue alert the veterinarian immediately. Is the patient
orthopneic? The characteristic stance is neck extended, TIP BOX 10.3
front legs abducted from body, and trying to gather in Gathering the TPR normal values of all the animals into a
air. Mark the patient file with the respiration rate, as ___ small reference book is a good idea. The Merck Veterinary
RPM, and any other observations for the respiration. Manual online has a list for almost all domesticated
Temperatures are taken on all animals using a rectal animals.
thermometer. This will give you the most accurate
core body temperature. However, some animals, espe- Capillary Refill Time (CRT)
cially cats and horses, do not like the thermometer
inserted into their rectums. An axial or armpit tem- Capillary refill time in all species of mammals is less than
perature will work for these animals. There are also 2 seconds. It is used to check for blood perfusion. It is
ear thermometers that use infrared heat detectors. accomplished by lifting the lip on the side of the mouth