Animal Health Evaluation

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Animal Health Evaluation

• Topic 3050
• Ashlee Gibson

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Determining Normal Behavior

• 1. Normal behavior is determined by time spent
  observing habits of normal healthy animal.
• 2. Once normal behavior is determined, abnormal
  is easier to identify by contrast
• 3. Normal behavior for one animal or group may
  be abnormal for another.

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Behavioral Categories

• Sleeping habits- time of day, standing or lying.
• Eating habits/nutritional- time spent eating,
  time of day preferring to eat, meal eaten
  throughout day or all at once.
• Attitude-pecking order,social behavior, and
  solitude

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• Posture- weight shifting from one foot or side.
• Gait- is there indication of lameness
• Breathing- difficult, fast, or slow.
• Physical condition- weight loss, hair coat, skin
  and odor.

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Evaluation

• 1. Status of hydration- does he look dehydrated
• 2. Color of mucous membranes- which should be
  pink, not yellow or white.
• 3. Capillary refill time- should be quick
  (demonstrates this on your arm)

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• Mouth/throat- too much saliva may indicate
  infection in mouth or inability to swallow. Lack
  of saliva may indicate fever or colic, check for
  choking, coughing drooling, gagging vomiting,
  foul odor, or difficulty swallowing.
• Ears- no discharge, head should not be tilted 6.
  Ribs- bloat or labored breathing.
• Legs/feet- lameness, stiffness, straining, or any
  leg favored.
• Genitals- swelling or rash.

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• Hair coat/skin- parasites or abnormal roughness.
  
• Swelling/lumps/wounds- wound discharge or
  ulceration's.
• Position of animal- is it down, unable to rise or
  uncoordinated.
• Temperature- does it have a fever dry muzzle,
  loss of appetite, thirst, constipation, or
  indigestion.
• Milk production- is it normal for animal.

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Indication in Pain

• Pain can be indicated by an animal in many ways,
  including
• a. Irritability
• b. Avoidance of certain activities
• c. Atypical fear
• d. Demeanor- (not alert, hunched up, etc.)
• e. Loss of appetite