Respiratory Distress

Question 1

When normal restful breathing is not providing enough air, an animal might engage the help of accessory muscles of inspiration such as the scalene, sternomastoids, and alae nasi; where are these located and how can you tell they are engaging them?

Answer 1

(Scalene and sternomastoids are neck muscles, will see neck movement/straining; alae nasi are associated with the nose and cause nasal flare when engaged)

Question 2

(T/F) The muscles of expiration are not employed during normal tidal breathing.

Answer 2

(T, when they are visibly employed that indicates the animal is having difficulty expiring without the assistance of those muscles)

Question 3

What area is likely affected if an animal has increased effort during all phases of breathing?

Answer 3

(Lung and/or heart parenchyma)

Question 4

What area is likely affected if an animal is taking fast, short, shallow breaths?

Answer 4

(Pleural space disease)

Question 5

When is oxygen contraindicated?

Answer 5

(When your patient is actively on fire, optimally they would not arrive in this state but if they do extinguish it then give oxygen)

Question 6

What is the ideal sedative for a dyspneic patient?

Answer 6

(Something with a rapid onset, multiple routes of administration, minimal cardiovascular or respiratory effects, and is reversible = butorphanol)

Question 7

What does a brief physical examination for a respiratory distress patient entail?

Answer 7

(Visual inspection, brief auscultation, TPR, and mucous membrane assessment → do it step by step and allow a lot of breaks)

Question 8

What will help you determine whether the patient in front of you with difficulty breathing that impacts all phases of breathing is cardiogenic or not?

Answer 8

(History, signalment, and temp/heart rate (low temp, high heart rate = cardiogenic shock, normal temp and HR = non-cardiogenic cause of respiratory distress))