Veterinary Triage Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards for veterinary triage review.

Triage

Determining priority for treatment based on the severity of condition.

Telephone Triage

Often the first contact with the vet office; technicians answer client concerns and should have strong clinical knowledge.

Mydriatic Pupils

Unresponsive & big pupils; may mean irreversible brain trauma ('fixed & dilated').

Anisocoria

Unequal pupil size (one big & one small); may indicate cerebral injury.

Horner's Syndrome

Small pupil (miosis) and dropped lid (ptosis) on one side; indicates damage to nerves (not brain).

Tachypnea

Increased respiratory rate; can be caused by decreased oxygen in blood, pain, or stress.

Bradypnea

Decreased respiratory rate; can be associated with traumatic brain injury.

Orthopnea

Adopting a specific posture to ease breathing.

Apneustic breathing

Deep inhale & pause before exhale.

Cheyne-Stokes breathing

Alternating tachypnea & bradypnea.

Kussmaul breathing

Slow, deep & regular breathing pattern.

Tachycardia

Increased heart rate; can be caused by shock, pain, fear, or anxiety.

Bradycardia

Decreased heart rate; can be associated with altered electrolytes or brain injury.

Cyanotic

Blue, purple, or dusky mucous membrane color; indicates poor oxygen supply.

Icteric

Yellow mucous membrane color; indicates increased bilirubin.

mentation

level of consciousness.

Obtunded

reacts appropriately to stimuli but much lower level, slower pace.

Stuporous

completely disconnected from environment, reacts only to noxious stimuli like needle sticks.

Comatose

doesn’t react to any stimuli.