Basic care for Dogs & Cats

Caroline Allenden RVN MBVNA

How do you know if a dog is healthy?

The Healthy DogThe Healthy Dog

• Keen to eat and exerciseKeen to eat and exercise

• Bright eyes and clean Bright eyes and clean nose and earsnose and ears

• Shiny coat, clean and Shiny coat, clean and odour odour

• Sharp response to stimuliSharp response to stimuli

• Firm brown faecesFirm brown faeces

• Clear yellow urineClear yellow urine

• Pink gumsPink gums

The Healthy Animal

Dog Cat

Body Temperature 38.3 – 38.7°C 38.0 – 38.5°C

Pulse Rate 60 – 180 110 – 180

Respiration Rate 10 – 30 20 - 30

Gum Colour + Capillary Refill Time

Pink Gums

< 2 seconds

Pink Gums

< 2 seconds

Temperament Bright, alert, responsive, Bright, alert, responsive, relaxed

Appearance Bright eyes, clean ears and nose, normal coat, normal posture, odour free (!)

Bright eyes, clean ears and nose, normal coat, normal posture, odour free

Behaviour Eating, drinking, urinating and defecating normally, keen to exercise.

Eating, drinking, urinating and defecating normally, easy fluid movement.

The Un-healthy DogThe Un-healthy Dog

• Often loss of appetite Often loss of appetite • Generally less enthusiastic Generally less enthusiastic • Diarrhoea, constipation, vomiting, Diarrhoea, constipation, vomiting,

coughingcoughing• Difficulty passing urine or faecesDifficulty passing urine or faeces• Difficulty (or increased) eating or Difficulty (or increased) eating or

drinkingdrinking• Discharge from eyes, ears, nose or Discharge from eyes, ears, nose or

vulvavulva• RestlessnessRestlessness• Abnormal pulse, or respiration rateAbnormal pulse, or respiration rate• Pale or blue tinged gumsPale or blue tinged gums• Abnormal postureAbnormal posture

The Unhealthy Animal

Watch Out For:

• Diarrhoea / Vomiting / Loss of Appetite

• Straining to Urinate / Defecate

• Change in Behaviour

• Change in Posture

• Unresponsive / Lethargic

The Importance of Recording

…and completing assessment sheets

What is normal?

Urine Hall of Fame

Coat Condition• What are you looking for?

• Shiny, no odour, no flaky skin, dry, full, non itchy, no red patches

First Aid

Main Aims

• Preserve Life

• Prevent Suffering

• Prevent the situation deteriorating

• Promote recovery

Personal Safety and Restraint

• Require considered handling – “Scruffing”?

• “Swipes” very common • Handling aids can help• Can calm down when handled

correctly

• Use suitable restraint, at the very least a slip lead• Muzzle, even if friendly for procedures

• Approach slowly and calmly• Quiet, calming voice and body language

CATS DOGS

Triage

• Assess the situation> Danger to the animal AND YOU!> Suitable place for First Aid treatment?> Can the animal be moved?

Assess the injuries> Life threatening injuries FIRST. Remember ABC…

A = airwayB = breathingC = circulation

> Consider the injuries that may be causing pain for handling> Blood does NOT always signify the worst injury

Preventing Accidents and Disease

Know What to Look For

Reasonable Protection

– Vaccination / Parasite Control

– Kennel / Run Security and Upkeep

– Trained Handlers – Basic lessons

– Animal Behaviour

– Cleaning Protocols

First Aid Situations

External bleedingExternal bleeding

• Severity and types of bleed

• Control: Direct pressure

Tourniquets: emergency ONLY

Field dressing – only in emergency situations and until you can get Veterinary help (more on this later…..)

Internal BleedingInternal Bleeding

• Bruising• Watch following trauma /

surgery• Watch MM colour• Beware of Hypothermia

Over to you…..

Two dogs are having a fight.

What are you going to do?

Fights

• Your Safety

• Puncture Wounds

• Infection Highly Likely

• Flush, Flush, Flush!

• Antibiotics If Possible

Over to you…..

You have found an animal that is not using one of it’s legs.

You suspect that it may be broken.

What are you going to do?

Fractures

• Very Painful

• Swelling & Immobility

• Transport Carefully

• Splinting will be painful

Bandaging – how not to

Over to you……

You come into work in the morning to find an animal having a fit.

What do you do?

Convulsions

• Do Not Touch!

• Clear Area

• Remove All Stimuli> Light

> Sound

> Touch

• Phases of a Seizure

>Causes> Epilepsy

> Poisoning

> Head Injuries / Tumours

> Systemic Disease

Hypothermia • Core body temperature is

below normal • Trauma, collapse, shock • No direct heat!• Insulate the animal

Hyperthermia• Core temperature is above normal• More common in dogs• Move away from heat• Cool with water and fans• Small frequent drinks

• Control environment• Ensure temperature correction gradual• Special care with infants and geriatrics.

Gastric Dilation Volvulus GDVGastric Dilation Volvulus GDV

• Life threatening emergencyLife threatening emergency

• Get Get immediateimmediate veterinary veterinary attentionattention

• Swollen abdomen, tympanicSwollen abdomen, tympanic

• Non productive vomitingNon productive vomiting

• Deep chested breedsDeep chested breeds

• Feeding regimesFeeding regimes

Any Questions?