What to check with their airway?
Ensure there is no foreign body or fluid obstructing the airway.
Normal respiration rate for dogs?
Puppies?
Dogs - 8 - 24
Average is 24 breaths per minute
Puppies - 15 - 35 breaths per minute
Count rate for 15 sec and multiply by 4
Circulation
Where do you check for a pulse?
What is the normal pulse rate?
What does a fast pulse indicate?
Femoral artery
Adult dogs - 60-180 bpm
Puppies - 220 bpm
Low blood volume - heart is working hard to pump enough blood to the body.
Where and how do you check capillary refill time?
Press on gums above the canine tooth.
Can also check the eye or tongue.
- bubble gum pink
Should refill in 1-2 seconds
Takes longer = lack of proper blood flow
What color should the gums be?
What do white/grey gums indicate?
What do red gums indicate?
Blue?
Bubble gum pink
White = blood loss. Anemia
Red = toxin, sepsis, or hyperthermia
Blue = hypoxia
What is a normal body temperature for a dog? Puppy?
Adult dog - 100 - 102.5
Puppy (0-4 weeks) 94-97
4 weeks + 100 degrees
How long is the gestation period?
How long is the heat cycle?
Gestation period is 63 days from the day of ovulation.
Normal range is 56-66 days
Heat cycle is 21 days
Acute painful abdomen
Signs
What are the causes of acute abdomen?
Dehydration
Symptoms
Causes of dehydration
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Dehydration treatment
Mild:
Severe
Heat stroke
Symptoms
Treatment
Cool the dog!
Heat stroke and causes
Bleeding
3 goals in treating wounds
Bleeding
- types of bleeding
Arterial - bright red blood, spurting
Venous - dark red blood, oozing
Two ways to stop bleeding
Wound treatment
What are the 6 steps?
All wounds are contaminated with dirt and bacteria
6 steps:
6 steps in detail:
SKIN PREPARATION
Pressure dressing is removed.
Area around wound is cleaned with surgical scrub. (Betadine or nolvasan)
WOUND IRRIGATION
Wash wound with large amounts of fluid until the tissue is clean
DEBRIDEMENT
remove dead and dying tissue and any foreign matter with tissue forceps
- performed by vet.
CLOSURE
Lacerations longer than 1/2 inch should be sutured.
Sutures need to be done within 8 hours
Delayed primary closure: Wounds that are clean after several days, resistant to infection, can be closed with impunity
* impunity - cutting out the healed tissue to create a fresh wound
Sutures are removed after 10-14 days
BANDAGING
- some wounds are left open - difficult to bandage - Especially around head and neck.
Bandaging protects wound from dirt and contaminants. Prevents dog from licking the wound.
PREVENTION OF RE-TRAUMA
A cone may be needed.
Infectious diseases
Distemper - viral
What are the stages of distemper?
First stage- fever spikes 103 - 105 degrees
- second fever spike occurs with loss of appetite, listlessness, watery discharge from eyes and nose.
Second stage - 2-3 weeks after onset of the disease.
Kennel cough
Bacterial Isolates