Transcript File - Mr. Lavoie`s Science Webpage

Routine animal care
Michael Lavoie, B.S.
Middlesex Community College
Veterinary Assistant program
March 2012
Bandages
 Applied for several reasons
 Immobilization
 Wound dressing
 Protection
 Cover splints
 Consist of several layers- each has a purpose
 Be familiar with the knowledge and equipment
necessary
 Basic knowledge of how to apply a simple
protective bandage
General materials
Rolled cotton
Adhesive tape (1” or 2”)
Rolled gauze or cling
Co-flex or vet wrap bandage
Non-adhesive pad (optional)
Bandage scissors
Bandage layers
 Primary- layer closet to the skin
 Soft and provide padding
 Act as a protective covering of the area
 Cotton rolls, cotton bandages, or other soft fiber
materials
 Use a nonabsorbent protective pad if covering
sutures or a wound
 Should be tight enough to remain in place, but
not tight enough to cut off circulation
 Cover all areas to provide several layers of
padding
Bandage layers- continued
Secondary- thin fiber material that clings to
the first layer
Holds the primary layer in place
Gauze or cling
Wrap beyond the areas of the primary
layer
Bandage layers- continued
Tertiary- final layer that acts as the outer
covering that holds the bandage on the
animal
Waterproof protection
Extend beyond the edges of the
secondary layer
Usually self-adherent- co-flex or vet wrap
Bandages
 Application and type depend on the purpose of
the bandage and the location in which it is
applied
 Stirrups- used when slipping is a concern
Adhesive tap strips applied onto the skin on opposite
sides of the limb
Strips extend beyond the end of the limb
“tape strips”
Apply layers smoothly and evenly, prevent wrinkles
Use Caution…
 Make sure the bandage is not placed too tight
 If bandaging a limb make sure you can see the
toes
 Avoid moisture build up- do not let the bandage
get wet- protect well from moisture
 Monitor the bandage and patient closely
 Remove the bandage immediately if the
patient’s behavior changes
 Schedule routine bandage changes
 Instruct owners on proper care and what they
should be monitoring for
Bandage care
Essential
Keep clean- change if soiled
Keep dry
Keep patient from chewing or lickingelizabethian collar, bitter apple
Monitor for slipping
Restrict activity
Bandage removal
Determined by the veterinarian
Remove with bandage scissors
Cut away the layers of the bandage
Have an angled end that prevents cutting the
animal during bandage removal
Point scissors upward and in contact with the
bandage layers
Clean, disinfect and store scissors properly
Carry your own pair
Fluid Administration
Administered to patients for fluid
replacement therapy due to dehydration or
illness
Small amounts cn be given
subcutaneously
Larger amounts are given IV via a catheter
Goal for assistants- be able to monitor the
catheter and IV fluid line and pump
SQ Fluid therapy
 Placed into the loose skin at the base of the
neck
 Usually less than 200 mL volume of fluid
 Slowly absorbed by the body
 Minimal vomiting and diarrhea
 Kidney disease
 Urine collection
 Veterinarian will prescribe a certain type of fluid
and a volume and volume frequency
Techniques used for SQ fluid
administration
A syringe and needle
A syringe, needle, and extension set
From an IV bag and solution drip set
Most tolerate well
Volume= 5-10 mL per pound
Average absorption time= 6-8 hours
How to prepare an IV fluid bag and drip
set
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Wash hands well
Remove IV bag and drip set from plastic cover
Close IV set “wheel” on plastic tubing
Remove cover over the white spike of the drip set; its
sharp, do not contaminate
Remove the spike port cover on the fluid bag
Guide the spike straight through the fluid bag port
Hang bag on hook or IV pole
Open the “wheel” to allow fluids and air to be removed
from the bag and tubing
Close “wheel” when all bubbles are removed and apply
needle to the end of the drip set
Administering IV fluids
 Apply gloves
 Tent the skin over the base of the neck between the
shoulder blades
 Insert the needle into the base of the tented area slightly
angled downward and just under the skin
 Let go of the tented skin and hold the needle in place
with one hand
 Use free hand to open the “wheel” on the drip set
 Give the appropriate volume and close the “wheel” on
fluid tubing
 Remove the needle and apply pressure to the injection
site
IV catheter
 Small plastic piece of equipment that is placed
within a vein
 Used to administer medications and/or fluids
directly into the patient’s bloodstream
 Requires advanced skills
 Assistant is responsible for maintaining and
monitoring the IV catheter patency (proper flow
and catheter remains intact and usable)
IV catheter sites
 Cephalic vein
 Jugular vein
 Lateral saphenous vein
 Medial saphenous vein
 Femoral vein
 Dorsal pedal vein
 Be able to recognize where the catheter is place,
that it is patent and flowing and that the fluid rate
is correct
Catheter bandages
Placed to cover and protect the catheter
Many different methods and materials
Should be checked daily
Assess the insertion site
Look for bleeding, swelling, pain
disconnection
Phlebitis
Develops around the insertion site
Swelling, pain, inflammation, redness
Monitor dily
Replace a catheter as needed
Common problems
Blood clot
Kink
Flush with heparinized saline
Chewing, licking
Patient disconnect
Soiled bandage
Fluid outside of the vein
Patient leg
IV fluid monitoring
 IV fluids require constant and consistent
monitoring
 Flow rate- amount of fluid to be delivered over
the course of a day
 Note initial volume- tape?
 Use a fluid pump
Infusion pump
Regulates flow rate and drip rate
Provides a constant flow of fluid at a specific rate
throughout the say
alarms
Types of IV drip lines
Depends on patient fluid volume
Macrodrip- delivers 15 drops of fluid per
mililiter
Good for medium and large dogs
Microdrip- small lines that deliver 60
drops/ml
Good for cats, small dogs
Fluid rate calculations
Want 1000 mL
1000 mL/24 hours= 41.6 mL/hr
Want 500 mL
500 mL/24 hrs= 20.8 mL/hr
Equipment care
 Clean and disinfect fluid pumps as directed by
manufacturers
 Use drip sets that are calibrated for each
individual pump
 Handle pumps with care
 Store pumps properly
 Keep pumps charging if needed
 Protect pumps from “animal abuse”
 Send pumps to manufacturer as needed for
calibration/repair
Questions?
Physical Care and Procedures
Michael Lavoie, B.S.
Middlesex Community College
Veterinary Assistant Program
March 19, 2012
Vital Signs
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
TechniqueHand over heart or use stethoscope
Count the beats over 15 seconds and multiply
by 4
Vital Signs
Respiration rate- frequency of breathing,
based on breaths per minute
Dog- 10-30 breaths per minute
Cat- 10-30 breaths per minute
TechniqueObserve flank motion
Count the breaths over 15 seconds and multiply
by 4
Vital Signs
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
TechniqueHand over heart or use stethoscope
Count the beats over 15 seconds and multiply
by 4
Capillary Refill Time
There are many small blood vessels called
capillaries in an animal's gums.
When an area of the gum is pressed,
blood is forced out of these capillaries.
When the pressure is released, the blood
should almost immediately refill the
capillaries.
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.
 This can occur if the pet
is in, or is going into,
shock.
 It can also occur in
certain heart diseases.
 Taking the CRT is a fast
and easy measurement
which may indicate the
pet has a serious
condition.
Mucous Membrane Color
 Yellow gums can indicate liver failure or disease.
This might be expected if your pet has already been
diagnosed with a liver condition or is on certain types of
medication.
 White or pale gums can indicate blood loss.
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.
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
Some dogs have dark or black patches on
their gums.
This is normal for some breeds.
This dark discoloration does not develop
overnight and is typically not a symptom.
Even black tongues are characteristic to
some breeds, such as chow chows.
Weight in Cats
 Cats, much like humans,
may suffer from weight
problems
 With a choice of tasty
food and treats and a
relatively sedate lifestyle,
indoor cats are
particularly affected by
this problem.
 Excess fat can have a
bad effect on the cat's
overall health.
Weight in Cats
Overweight cats are prone to heart
disease, arthritis, and a series of other
health problems, and are often in poor
shape.
Some cats are very overweight and are
considered obese.
Obese cats find it difficult to move around
and are often short of breath.
Factors that affect weight difference in
cat:
Breed
Sex
Breed
 This is the fundamental parameter in assessing
a cat's ideal weight.
 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.
 A female of a smaller breed, the Singapura, may
actually be overweight at a mere 7 pounds (3
kilos)!
 A kilo- or kilogram- is equal to 2.2 pounds
Sex
 There is a noticeable difference in weight
between males and females of the same breed.
 Males are usually 2-4 pounds heavier than
females.
 Note that whether a cat is neutered or not
should not affect its weight.
 The only difference is that, in order to achieve
the same weight, neutered cats require about a
third less calories.
Assessing your Cat’s Weight
The best way to tell if your cat is
overweight is by checking the cat.
Move your hands along the sides of the
body and gently try to feel the ribs.
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.
 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.
 Obesity can sometimes be a side-effect of a
more serious disease and requires urgent
veterinary attention.
Weight in Dogs
 There are many reasons a dog can become
overweight.
 The obvious culprits are improper diet and lack
of sufficient exercise.
 A dog recovering from an illness or injury is
usually required to remain sedentary and is
therefore at risk for weight gain.
 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.
Weight in dogs
Genetic predisposition is a big factor.
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.
 The following diseases and disorders may be caused or
exacerbated by obesity:
 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
 Running your hands along your dog's ribcage,
you should be able to palpate the ribs covered
by a thin layer of fat.
Inability to feel the ribs is a sign of an overweight dog.
 Looking at your dog from the side, you should
be able to see the upward tuck of the abdomen.
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
The Flea
 Completion of the life cycle from egg to adult
varies from two weeks to eight months.
 Normally the female flea lays about 15 to 20
eggs per day up to 600 in a lifetime.
 Usual hosts for fleas are dogs, cats, rats,
rabbits, mice, squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons,
opossums, foxes, chickens, and humans.
 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.)
 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.
 Sand and gravel are very suitable for flea development
which is the reason fleas are erroneously called "sand
fleas."
 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.
 Larvae are blind, avoid light, pass through three larval
stages and take a week to several months to develop.
 Their food consists of digested blood from adult flea
feces, dead skin, hair, feathers, and other organic debris.
(Larvae do not suck blood.)
 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.
 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).
 Adult fleas cannot survive or lay eggs without a
blood meal, but may hibernate from two months to one
year without feeding.
 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.)
Flea and Tick Control for Cats and Dogs
Use as directed by veterinarian.
Different Veterinary Practices use different
protocols.
Questions?