BASIC PATIENT CARE

Animal nursing practice

OBJECTIVES• Discuss provision of comfort safety and

hygiene

• Identify optimum temp humidity light level

and ventilation

• Identify bedding and litter materials and

their attributes

• List ways to provide warmth and discuss

adv and disadv.

• Discuss exercise and contraindications

• Describe and justify bathing, grooming, nail

clipping, hoof trimming and dental care

• List common ectoparasites and simple

control measures

• Discuss owner visits

BASIC NECESSITIES FOR HOSPITALISED ANIMALS

A clean, comfortable, warm environment, as free of stress as possible.

Food and water at all times unless restricted for medical reasons.

Adequate exercise and grooming care unless restricted for medical

reasons.

Suffering should be relieved promptly and humanely.

Every patient should be treated humanely and with dignity at all times.

What have you observed in clinics that meets these needs???

HYGIENE AND SAFETY

Why is a high standard of hygiene important in the hospital?

How often should the cages stalls and housing of the following

species be cleaned as a routine. Dogs, cats, horses, birds and

reptiles.

How do the toileting needs of hospitalised dogs and cats differ ?

What causes COPD (heaves) in horses

What should be done for a cat with snuffles who has discharges

from eyes & nose, and is dribbling and crusty because of mouth

ulcers

Provides warmth

Provides comfort

Provides protection

from injury eg pressure

sores & scald

BEDDING

What are the adv and

disadv of the following

types of bedding• Newspaper• Polar fleece blanket• Wool blanket• Towel • Vet bed

Good ventilation reduces

odour and aerosoled

pathogens

Would you use bright light

or dark to encourage rest in

the following patients: a dog,

a horse, a morepork, a hawk?

VENTILATION & LIGHTING

What are the advantages and

disadvantages of the following

ways of keeping patients warm• Blankets and towels• Vet beds• Heat lamps• Hot water bottles• Heat pads• incubators

How close can a heat lamp be

placed near a patient?

WARMTH

Optimum temperatures

for kennels and catteries:

Healthy adults should not

drop below 70C

Whelping pups• 26-290 C up to one week

of age • 21-260 C 0ne to two

weeks of age• 20 C0 two weeks to

weaning

Benefits of exercise • Reduced peripheral

odema• Encourages

urination and defecation

What are the

precautions and

contraindications for

exercising hospital

patients

EXERCISE GROOMING AND BATHING

How often should an inpatient

be groomed?

What are 3 key reasons for

normal grooming (and bathing)

Why would medicated

shampoos be used?

Which breeds is it particularly

important to obtain owner

permission to clip…and why?

Reasons nails need clipping• Soft ground or indoor pets• Geriatric• Immobilised • Abnormal gait and wear

due to prior injury• Puppies still suckling• Long nails more likely to

be torn or cause abnormalities of gait or become ingrown

• Horses re-shoe or trim/6wks

OWNER VISITS

Clinic protocol, benefits and problems?