Topic 12: Providing First Aid Flashcards
(36 cards)
1
Q
What are the aims of first aid?
A
- save life
- prevent further injury
- reduce pain
- reduce stress
- reduce chance of infection
- increase the rate of recovery
2
Q
What are the priorities when dealing with an emergency case?
A
- minimise the danger to yourself and further damage to the patient
- assess and respond to any problems with the patient’s airway, breathing, circulation or bleeding
- restrain or confine the patient to prevent further injury
- identify and treat shock
- assess patient’s injuries
- treat ife-threatening injuries or symptoms first, attend to other problems according to their degree of urgency
- seek further help - call the vet!
3
Q
What does DRABC stand for?
A
- **D = Danger
- ** Assess the situation
- R = Response
- Can the patient respond?
- **A = Airway
- **Ensure the airway is clear so that the animal can breathe.
- B =Breathing
- Make sure the animal is breathing.
- C =Circulation
- Is the heart beating? Is there a pulse? Check the animal’s mucous membrane colour and capillary refill time (CRT). Check for haemorrhage.
4
Q
Further to DRABC is DEF.
What does this stand for?
A
- **D = DISABILITY
- **Disability stands for any problem with the animal’s Neurological system.
- **E = EXAMINATION - EVERYTHING ELS
- **Once the vital signs have been assessed and acted upon, other problems can be assessed. Check the extent of the animal’s injuries
- F = FOLLOW UP
5
Q
Tips for handling injured patients?
A
- Don’t deliberately change the animal’s position, even if lying on a broken leg. Animals tend to protect the injured area by lying on it. Also, the animal will put itself into the most comfortable position
6
Q
What is the first aim of CPR?
What is the second aim of CPR?
A
- to preserve life
- Maintain circulation (oxygen delivery)
7
Q
When must artificial respiration be given?
A
If animal is not breathing
8
Q
Describe rescue breathing
A
- compressing the chest.
- Place the animal into lateral recumbency, extend head and neck, extend tongue, pull front legs forward.
- Compress chest with palm of hand behind the upper forelimb, or at highest point of chest.
- Press, release, repeat every 1-2 seconds. Note: chest compressions are only a stop-gap measure as they will not deliver enough oxygen. Immediate veterinary attention is required for further artificial ventilation
9
Q
Describe mouth to nose respiration
A
- Extend the head and neck, pull the tongue forward, grasp muzzle, close animal’s lips and blow into the animal’s nostrils.
- Place slight pressure on pharynx to prevent blowing down the oesophagus.
10
Q
What does it mean to intubate and ventilate?
A
- done at the veterinary clinic.
- A tube is placed into the trachea and the animal is artificially ventilated either manually by squeezing a rebreathing bag or by a ventilator machine.
11
Q
How many minutes is a cardiac arrest emergency?
(ie how long before permanent brain damage occurs?)
A
3 minutes
12
Q
List the symptoms of cardiac arrest
A
- Unconscious
- No heart beat
- No pulse
- Slow capillary refill time
- Grey to bluish-purple coloured mucous membranes (cyanosis)
- Fixed dilated pupils
13
Q
Describe external cardiac compression procedure
A
- Compress and release the chest to create pressure changes in the blood vessels, forcing blood to circulate.
- Lay the animal on its right side
- Place your hands where its left elbow touches the chest, approximately the middle of the rib-cage
- Compress the chest 15 times followed by 2 rescue breaths. Compress at a rate similar to the normal heart rate. (as a guide, compress 3 times every 2 seconds = 90 compressions per minute)
- Monitor effectiveness - check the pulse, mucous membrane colour and capillary refill time
14
Q
Cardiac compressions plus artificial respiration together is …?
A
CPR
(CardioPulmonary Resuscitation)
15
Q
What can basic first aid involve?
A
- basic CPR
- control of haemorrhage
- treatment of lacerations or scratches,
- bandaging for broken bones or limbs
- and administration of medications under veterinary advice or instruction eg emetics or antidotes.
16
Q
What is shock?
A
- lack of circulation of oxygenated blood to the body tissues.
- This leads to low oxygen levels in the tissues, build up of toxins, coma and death
17
Q
What are the symptoms of shock?
A
- Weak fast pulse, rapid heart rate
- Shallow rapid respiration
- Pale mm, slow CRT
- Cold extremities
- Lowered rectal temperature
- Reduced urinary output
18
Q
What are the causes of shock?
A
- Haemorrhage
- Head trauma
- Poisoning
- Heat stress
- Near drowning
- Electrocution
- Severe burns
- Dehydration
- Prolonged vomiting/diarrhoea
- Disease
- Bloat
- Heart failure
- Anaphylaxis
- Others
19
Q
Describe the first aid management of shocl
A
- Perform the ABC of first aid
- Lay patient on its side, extend the neck and lower head
- Control any haemorrhage
- Apply Warmth
- Seek veterinary attention - where the patient will receive intravenous fluids, oxygen and medication, and the cause treated.
20
Q
What are the stages of wound healing?
A
- begins with an inflammation stage, where there is heat, redness, swelling and pain.
- Then new tissue is layed down, remodelled and reformed, starting at the edges and working inwards to fill the deficit and close the wound.
- Scar tissue continues to be remodelled over time, but never quite gains the strength of original tissue.
21
Q
What does wound healing require?
A
- Moisture – dry wound edges are more difficult to heal
- Oxygen and nutrients, with a good blood supply
- Clean, pathogen-free environment
- Minimal movement
- Prevention of self-harm – don’t allow the animal to rub, scratch, lick or chew at the wound
22
Q
Caring for wounds involves?
A
- flushing and cleaning
- topical meds
- applying dressings/bandages
- providing a clean, stress free environment w/ excellent nutrition
23
Q
What are the 3 layers of bandages?
A
- Primary (contact) layer
- Secondary (intermediate) absorbent layer
- Tertiary (outer) – stabilizing layer
24
Q
What does arterial haemorrhage look like?
A
blood is bright red and spurting. This is a major emergency
25
What does venous haemorrhage look like?
dark red blood. The rate of blood loss is slower, however a large volume of blood can be lost if not controlled.
26
What does capillary haemorrhage look like?
slow oozing of blood
27
What are the clinical signs of internal bleeding?
* swelling in a cavity,
* bruising,
* mucous membrane pallor,
* and perhaps coughing or breathing difficulties if internal bleeding is occurring within the thorax.
28
Describe how to control haemorrhage
* **Direct Pressure**
* Direct digital pressure (hand)
* Pad/bandage over wound, bandage firmly in place
* Must keep pressure for several minutes.
* If blood continues to ooze through bandage, apply further padding/dressing over the top, do not remove original bandage
* **Tourniquets are to be avoided.**
29
Why are bandages used?
* Protect wound from environment
* Prevent self trauma
* Support for injuries (+/- splint)
* Control haemorrhage
30
List some different types of bandages
* Basic wound covering
* Splint
* Compression bandage
* Robert Jones bandage
* Many others
31
Outline the steps for basic wound dressing
1. **Clean the wound**, must be patted dry before bandaging
2. **1st layer (contact layer)** must be sterile and non-stick, non-fibrous, conform to wound shape, absorbent to allow drainage to next layer.
Gauze pad often used
3. **2nd layer (absorbent)** wrap from toes or tail tip towards body. Apply several layers. cottonwool, softban
4. **Outer layer (porous adhesive tape)** wrap from toes upwards. anchor at margins to skin/hair to stop slipping. vetwrap, elastoplast
32
Why are compression bandages used?
Name one type of compression bandage
* exert pressure. They can be used to control haemorrhage, control or prevent swelling, and give support for fractures.
* Robert Jones bandage -used to immobilise limbs eg fractures prior to surgical treatment.
33
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a compression bandage?
* Advantages:
Soft, well tolerated
Easily removed allowing checking of injuries
Useful for growing animals that grow out of rigid casts
* Disadvantages:
Cumbersome
Expensive - use a lot of materials
34
What is a splint used for?
* support of fractures/dislocations, sprains/strains, healing wounds
* Provide immobilisation
*
35
Bandages must be kept ....?
DRY!!!
36
Bandages should be checked regularly for?
* Slippage
* Chaffing/rubbing
* Comfort of patient
* Chewing/licking
* Odour
* Swelling (check toes)
* Skin discolouration
* Moisture
