Veterinary Emergency medicine

Problems that warrant emergencies

Trauma, profuse diahrrhea, urethral obstruction,labored breathing,seizures, loss of concsciousness, excessive bleeding,poisoning, prolapse of organs, snake bites, heat prostration, open wounds, anemia, burns, dystocia, shock.

Causes of shock

Decreased blood pressure and volume, trauma, toxins and sepsis, cardiac failure, anaphylaxis.

Symptoms of shock

Pale to white mucous membrane color, weak pulse pressure, hypothermic, increased HCT

Shock treatment

IV fluids, keep warm, control cause of problem, corticosteroids.

Causes of hemorrhage

trauma, surgery, toxicity, internal organ rupture.

Symptoms of hemorrhage

bleeding, arterial(squirting and pulsating), venous (dark and slow), shock.

Treatment of hemorrhage

Control Hemorrhage: homeostasis, bandages, surgery.

Causes of wounds

Trauma: abrasions, incisions, lacerations, punctures, abscess.

Symptoms of wounds

open wounds

Treatment of wounds

control hemorrhage, clean and flush wound, surgery, bandage.

Causes of heatstroke

prolonged exposure to heat, caught in dryers, left in cars.

Pathophysiology of heatstroke

cellular necrosis and cerebral edema occurs following hyperthermia.

symptoms of heatstroke

temp >107, panting and salivation, tachycardia, Brick red mucous membranes, respiratory distress, stupor to seizures, hemorrhagic diarrhea and vomiting.

Treatment of heatstroke

A) Cool body temperature
ice bath, alcohol to pads, cold water enemas, IV fluids for shock, corticosteroids, mannitol for cerebral edema, lasix for anuria and pulmonary edema.

monitoring patient for heatstroke

Can lead to renal failure and metabloic acidosis

Dissiminated Intravascular coagulation (DIC)

over consumption of coagulation factors causing everything else to hemmorhagic crisis and thrombosis.
Petechiation, Ecchymosis, and bleeding.
Death usually results.

Burn classifications

1st degree (superficial): involves entire epidermis, painful, erythematous, healing is rapid.
2nd degree (partial thickness): involves epidermis and dermis, painful and hair may be intact, subcutaneous edema, heals slowly after skin slough.
3rd degree (fu

Burn causes

Thermal burns: heat pads, stoves, fire, scalding fluid.
Electrical and chemical burns.

Treatment

If presented within 2 hours, apply cold compresses in chilled saline or water for 30 minutes.

Treatment for 1st degree burns

analgesics, clip and clean area, debride necrotic tissue, antimicrobriial ointments ( silvadeen, nitrofurazone), bandage wounds.

Treatment for 2nd degree burns

treat shock, analgesics, clean and debride tissue, antimicrobial dressing, skin graft, temperature regulation.

Treatment for 3rd degree burns

prognosis poor if extensive damage, treat like 2nd degree burns, consider euthanasia.

Thoracocentesis

Removing fluid or air from the chest with a needle.

Pleural effusion

water like fluid in chest cavity, heart disease

pneumothorax

air in chest, trauma HBC, animal attack, lungs collapse due to loss of negative pressure.

pyrothorax

pus in thorax, infection-pneumonia, bite wound, FB as fox tail.

Chylothorax

2nd damaged thoracic duct- lymphatic fluid.

Diaphragmatic hernia

2ndary trauma as HBC, diaphragm torn and liver, stomach, intestines enter chest cavity. Diagnosis: radiographs. Treatment: surgery.

Proptosis- Proptosed globe (eye)

trauma, treatment: tarsorrhaphy= suture eyelids closed, Enucleation= remove eye.

Schiff-Sherrington posture

Spinal cord fracture at the thoraco-lumbar L2-L4. Causes front limb extension and hind leg paralysis. HBC. Diagnosis: radiographs. Treatment: Surgery, but poor prognoisis, paralysis.