Fluid Administration, Emergency Care, Wound Management, and Veterinary Periodontics

CPR, Fluid Therapy, Wound Management, And Periodontics In Veterinary Medicine
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CPR, Fluid Therapy, Wound Management, And Periodontics In Veterinary Medicine
Part 1: Fluid Administration
1 Physical Exam Parameters of Hydration
Fluid administration in a feline patient is an important process that helps effectively ensure that the patient possesses the right hydration amount. A feline patient experiences normal dehydration when they lose five percent of fluid in their body, experiences moderate dehydration when they lose between five and ten percent of water and experiences severe dehydration when they lose over ten percent of water. The level of dehydration in the patient is illustrated using mucous membranes and skin turgor as the physical parameters (Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, 2021). The dryness or tackiness of the mucous membrane is assessed in the gums, while the nature of skin turgidness or elasticity is tested by lifting the feline patient's skin at the shoulders and checking how long it takes to get back to its initial state. In each physical exam, the total needed hydration level in the feline patient is 73.3% moisture (Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, 2021). When the moisture is lower than this amount, the skin elasticity will be low, and the mucous membranes will be dry.
2 Purpose of Fluid Therapy Phases
A feline patient showing no signs of shock will undergo fluid administration as a therapy for only twenty-four hours. Fluid therapy, in this case, is meant to ensure that the feline patient is well-supported within the recovery process that is made up of the resuscitation, optimization, stabilization and evacuation phases.
Fluid replacement formula = (%dehydration) x (body weight) x (total body water)
8lbs = 3.62kgs
If 1kg is equal to 1000ml of fluid, the patient has a dehydration deficit of 362mls.
Applying the fluid replacement formula, for the 24 hours, the patient will receive 2mls of fluid per kg in every hour; thus, the total fluid administered for 24 hours is 3.62kgs X 2ml = 7.24mls, which is equal to (7.24mls X 24) 181mls per 24 hours.
The cat is ten percent dehydrated, 10% of 181mls = 18.1mls
The fluid therapy should consider maintenance fluid; thus, the total fluid administered in 24 hours is 18.1ml + 362ml = 380.1mls in 24 hours.
In the absence of diarrhea and vomiting, fluid losses are not present in the feline patient. So, in an hour, the feline patient should receive (380.1/24) 15.8375mls of fluid. In a minute, the patient should receive (15.8375/60) 0.264mls.
3 Monitoring IV Fluid Therapy
Monitoring IV fluid therapy is important in ensuring that the feline patient is not underhydrated or overhydrated, thus helping to boost the health and recovery process for the patient. The therapy will be effectively monitored using physical exam parameters of body weight. The nature of the patient's urine will also help in monitoring the fluid administered, where deep yellow urine illustrates under-dehydration and clear urine shows over-dehydration (Montealegre & Lyons, 2021). More so, using calibrated equipment in administering the fluid will help in accurately providing the needed fluid for feline patients. Monitoring the IV catheter site should be effectively done through assessing the catheter position, phlebitis signs and patency of the site. Monitoring the auscultation helps in developing an assessment of the patient’s breathing pattern to ensure that the IV provides the healing process. Body weight plays an important role in IV therapy, where it determines the amount of IV fluid that should be administered, thus preventing underhydration and overhydration.
4 Importance of Monitoring Patients Receiving IV Fluid Therapy
Monitoring feline patients receiving IV fluid therapy seeks to ensure that instances of overhydration and underhydration are avoided. Underhydration creates a challenging recovery process for the feline patient, given that the required fluid level is not present in the feline patient's body (Montealegre & Lyons, 2021). On the other hand, overhydration makes the feline patient prone to cardiovascular diseases. Overhydration is illustrated by increased respiratory rate and effort and increased breath sounds, which capture the change in breathing pattern. The extreme and late sign of fluid overload is the swelling of conjunctiva, that happens without any inflammation or irritation. Therefore, monitoring IV fluid therapy among feline patients is important in guaranteeing an accurate and effective recovery path for the patient.
Part 2: Emergency Care
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is the process of saving an animal that is under cardiopulmonary arrest. CPR's goal is to ensure that the feline patient resumes blood flow and oxygen supply in the patient’s body. It intends to save a nearly dying patient, which helps in ensuring that the patient's heart keeps on pumping blood. The continuous flow of blood in a patient helps in ensuring that the patient does not suffer from scenarios such as brain death. Therefore, the goal of CPR is to ensure that a patient with cardiopulmonary disorder does not experience organ failure from the arrest.
The first step of performing CPR on a Labrador is to check the rhythm of the retriever’s heartbeat. In case of the absence of a heartbeat, the CPR process begins. The second step is to initiate the start the CPR compressions. The Labrador retriever is a barrel-chested dog, which means that it will be positioned on its either of its sides side and one should be above the retriever with your hands placed over the widest part of the chest (Dazio et al., 2023). The other hand should be placed over the first hand. Then, initiate CPR with the elbows locked and shoulders above the hands. CPR compressions should be done at a rate of one hundred compressions every minute through compressing by about half to a third of the width of the chest, while ensuring that the chest regains its position after every compression. The compression should take place when the hands are placed on the dog’s front part of the belly. After thirty compressions, ensure that the airway is secured using orotracheal intubation. Oxygen breaths should be provided to the retriever at the rate of tone breath in every six to eight seconds. Two rescuers can be involved where one should do the compressions and the other administer the breaths and then they alternate after every cycle of 30 chest compressions and two rescue breaths. The CPR assumes a continuous process of compressions and breaths until the retriever regains consciousness (Dazio et al., 2023). The veterinary clinic has the advantage of using shock machines including the defibrillator and oxygen tank and supply in severe and complex cases to ensure that cardiopulmonary arrest is quickly avoided. The IV catheter should be placed in the retriever’s cephalic vein in the process of the CPR. Emergency drugs should be available during the CPR process. In case of prolonged cardiac arrest, sodium bicarbonate should be used, in case of hyperkalemia, calcium chloride should be used and in case of ventricular arrhythmias, magnesium chloride should be used. Epinephrine should be administered during CPR to ensure that pulseless electrical activity is addressed. Successful resuscitation of the retriever will indicate the success of the CPR process.
The emergency crash cart in a veterinarian carries all the emergency tools that can help in quickly saving the patient's life. The components in the cart include multiparameter monitor, IV and IO catheter supplies, mobile and compact cart with mobile equipment and supplies endotracheal tubes, laryngoscope, saline flash, a defibrillator,...