Respitory exam study Flashcards
exam study (24 cards)
What are classic signs of respiratory distress?
Dyspnea, cyanosis, open-mouth breathing, abnormal lung sounds.
What should you always do first with a dyspneic patient?
Minimize stress. Give oxygen before handling.
What does “stertor” mean?
Snoring sound – often from nasal or pharyngeal obstruction.
What does “stridor” mean?
High-pitched wheeze from laryngeal or upper airway obstruction.
What is the main diagnostic test for pneumonia?
Thoracic radiographs.
What is Feline Asthma?
Allergic airway disease causing bronchoconstriction.
Signs of feline asthma?
Cough, wheezing, dyspnea.
Treatment for feline asthma?
Steroids + bronchodilators (inhalers like albuterol).
What is pleural effusion?
Fluid in the space around lungs, prevents expansion.
How is pleural effusion treated?
Thoracocentesis, then treat the cause.
4 types of pleural effusion?
CHF (clear fluid), chylothorax (milky), pyothorax (pus), hemothorax (blood).
What is laryngeal paralysis?
Larynx doesn’t open properly → noisy breathing, collapse risk.
Treatment for severe laryngeal paralysis?
Tie-back surgery.
What causes kennel cough?
Bordetella + viruses (adenovirus, parainfluenza, etc.).
Kennel cough signs?
Harsh “goose honk” cough, triggered by tracheal palpation.
What is a tracheal wash?
Sample of fluid from the trachea for testing pathogens.
What is BAL (bronchoalveolar lavage)?
Fluid wash from lower airways during bronchoscopy.
Tachypnea
abnormally fast breathing
Atonal Breathing
respirations near death or during extreme suffering
Apnea
absence of breathing
Asphyxiation
suffocation, to deprive of oxygen
Atelectasis
Incomplete expanstion of the lung
Crackles
abnormal, crackling noises heard on auscultation of the lungs caused by opening of collapsed or fluid filled airways
Emphysema
chronic lung disease cause by enlargement of the alveoli or changes in the alveolar airways
