Collecting Vitals in a Patient

What to look for and what your results mean when collecting vitals in a patient.

In small animals, normal heart sounds include a “lub-dub”. Explain what the “lub” and the “dub” sounds correlate with in the animal’s body.

The “lub” correlates with the mitral and tricuspid valve closures, while the “dub” correlates with the aortic and pulmonic valve closures.

When using a stethoscope, where do you place the diaphragm on the patient?

The diaphragm should be placed on the patient’s thorax (chest) near the left axilla (armpit).

What does arrhythmia mean?

Abnormal rate or rhythm of the heartbeat.

What does bradycardia mean?

Abnormally slow heart rate.

What does tachycardia mean?

Abnormally fast heart rate.

What is respiratory sinus arrhythmia?

The heart rate cyclically decreases when the animal exhales and increases when the animal inhales.

What is a murmur?

Abnormal swooshing sounds due to improper closure of heart valves or other cardiac diseases.

Explain why an animal’s heart rate and pulse should be identical.

As the heart pumps blood through the arteries, the arterial walls expand and contract. A pulse is created by this pressure on the arterial walls and can be palpated (felt) with your fingers.

What is the easiest spot to palpate (feel) an animal’s pulse?

The femoral artery located by the medial (inner) thigh where the femur bone meets the trunk of the body.

Where do you place the diaphragm of the stethoscope to auscultate a respiratory rate?

Place the diaphragm of the stethoscope on the patient’s thorax (chest) on the left lateral side, approximately at the third rib.

What does the mucous membrane color in an animal tell you?

The mucous membrane color will give you a rough indication of perfusion, or blood flow to the organs and peripheral tissues.

For difficult patients or if the mouth is inaccessible, where else can you observe the mucous membrane color?

The conjunctiva (third eyelid), the vulva (females), or the prepuce (males).

What does it mean if a patient’s mucous membrane is pale or white?

It means shock or anemia where the body doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin to carry oxygen to the body’s tissues.

What does it mean if a patient’s mucous membrane is blue or purple (cyanotic)?

It means hypothermia (low body temp), or cardiac or respiratory disease.

What does it mean if a patient’s mucous membrane is red (hyperemic)?

It means shock or hyperthermia (high body temp).

What does it mean if a patient’s mucous membrane is yellow or orange (icteric)?

It means elevated bilirubin (a byproduct of red blood cell breakdown) which is often due to liver disease or hemolysis.

How long should your patient’s capillary refill time be?

Your patient’s CRT should be less than two seconds.

What does it mean if the patient’s capillary refill time is longer than two seconds?

A CRT longer than two seconds indicates cardiovascular dysfunction.

What types of illnesses will elevate body temperature?

Bacterial infections, viral infections, and certain types of cancer.

How does excitement in a patient change their body temperature?

Excitement will increase the body temperature by one or two degrees above normal.