Physical Exam & Behavior

100.5 F to 102.5 F

104 F and higher

• Diseases • Neurological injury (stroke) • Heat Stroke • Drug toxicity

• Increased tissue O2 reqs • Vasodilation to release body heat • Cardiac workload increases • Damage to vascular cells leading to DIC • Bounding pulse, tachycardia, & pale gums (slow refill)

• Cool compress • Cool w/ fan • Temperate bath • Room temp IV fluids • Cool water enemas

Ice water, it can cause vasoconstriction which will trap heat in the body, don’t want to cool down too fast

99 F or less

• Medication (anesthesia) • Age (less than 1 month old) • Environment (left in snow)

• reduced metabolic rate • decreased O2 consumption (slower breathing) • decreased ability of hemoglobin to release O2 to tissue • peripheral vasconstriction • decreased heart rate • hypotension (low blood pressure) • decreased GI motility

• warm blankets • warm water bottles/gloves • warm IV fluids • heat lamps (watch animal closely) • circulating water blanket

• heating pads • stationary heating elements (get too hot and can cause burns)

A palpable rhythmic expansion of an artery due to contraction of the heart

60-160 bpm

60-180 bpm

up to 220 bpm

110-220 bpm (not unusual to be higher at the vet, cat’s stressed)

The usual site is at the femoral artery, count for 15 secs and times by 4 to get bpm (beats per minute)

weak pulse that can be a sign of shock of cardiopulmonary dz

overly strong pulse that can be a sign of stress, pain, or cardiopulmonary dz

Slow heart rate; decrease in cardiac output can cause organ failure or death

• hypothermia • metabolic diseases • medications • hypothroidism

• ECG • Thoracic Radiograph for Dx • Supplement w/ O2 • Chemical (atropine or epinephrine)

Fast heart rate; can lead to permanent heart arrhythmia, murmurs, or cardiac failure

• pain • shock • stress • excitement • febrile (fever) • medications