Physiological parameters of Healty animals

Respiration, pulse and rectal temperature in animals.

Respiration

Respiration includes inspiration and an expiration of air into and out of the lungs, This can be observed by raise and fall of chest or flank. It can also be recorded by feeling the breath at nostrils (expiration) with Back of the hand. Respiratory rate expressed as the number of respirations per minute. Precautions When recording respiration, pulse and temperature it is desirable to be recorded in the following order. Stand quietly near the animal and count the respiration rate first before the animal is handled. Then record the pulse rate and finally record the temperature.

Pulse

Pulse is the impulse of heart felt thro’ an artery. In horses: External maxillary artery at the site of lower jaw and median artery at the elbow and digital artery alongside of the cannon bone. In sheep, goat, dog, cats: Femoral artery inside the hind limb. Cattle: coccygeal artery at base of the tail In all animals pulse is recorded for at least 1 – 2 min and pulse rate expressed in o of pulse per minute.

Temperature

Rectal temperature is the sum of total conserved heat produced in the body resulting from metabolic process in the body. Temperature is one of the basic signs of health which has to be maintained within normal limits. Eg. Increase in the body temperature is a sign of ill health.

Methods of observation Clinical thermometers used to observe the body temperature which is inserted into the rectum to record rectal temperature Mercury column of the thermometer reduced below the body temperature of the animal. Lubricate the bulb of the thermometer using ordinary soap. Insert it into the rectum by guarding the index finger. Then push it in a sideward manner so that bulb will touch the mucous membrane of rectum Then thermometer is retained in the rectum for 1- 2 min. (take care not to bury the bulb in the dung). Then the thermometer is removed & cleaned and wiped with cotton and the temperature is red. Restraint may be necessary. Eg. In a horse the forelimb can be lifted.

Vital Capacity of animals:

Whereas human have 6 liters lung capacity

The total exhalation capacity of an adult Holstein Friesian cow is about 128–136 l min−1 and the breath frequency are about 20–40 times per minute

Pulmonary mechanics and lung volumes were measured in horses and cows to determine if differences in breathing pattern between the two species were due to differences in the mechanical properties of the lungs.

Tidal volume (V_T) was larger in the horses, while the respiratory rate (f_R) and minute ventilation ( V˙E) were higher in the cows. The horses often had a double peak in airflow during inspiration and, or, expiration, while the cows had a single peak during expiration.

The cows had a greater change in maximum trans-pulmonary pressure (ΔP_Lmax) and an increased non-elastic work of breathing (W_b). However, the pulmonary resistance (R_L) did not differ between the two species, thus the higher ΔP_Lmax and W_b in the cows were most likely a function of their higher flow rates. Calculations of the rate of work of breathing ( W˙) indicate that both species breathed at an f_R above the minimum W˙. The f_R in the horses was close to the f_R predicted for the average minimum muscle force, but the f_R in the cows was higher. As the differences in the mechanical properties of the lung do not explain the differences in flow pattern, nor adequately account for the higher f_R in the cows, it is suggested that the differences in breathing pattern between the two species is due to differences in the chest wall, particularly the size and shape of the abdomen.