Physical examination for technicians: Part 1 and 2 (Proceedings)

I. Head and neck

• Check face for symetry (right vs left), open

• Mouth and check teeth, mucous membranes, tonsils,

• Tongue, look as far back in the throat as possible

• With the dog awake. Check ears externally and with

• Otoscope.

• Palpate all surfaces including neck feeling for

• Assymetry, lumps, bumps, etc. Feel lymph nodes and

• Compare right and left sides of the neck. Palpate the

• Trachea and listen to the trachea with a stethascope

II. Chest area

• Auscultation of the chest (lungs and heart).

• Palpate the outer chest area for lumps, bumps,

• Lacerations, parasites, etc.

III. Abdominal area

• Palpate the abdomen for masses and tenderness.

• Palpate the outer surface of the body for lumps,

• Bumps, breaks in the skin surface and parasites, etc.

IV. Anal and caudal area

• Examine the anus and caudal area by lifting the

• Tail and visually examining the structures and by

• Doing a digital palpation of the anus. Part the lips of

• The vulva and look inside as far as possible in the

• Female and palpate the testicles in the male for

• Symetry, texture and regularity. Express anal sacs.

• And do a fecal exam.

V. Legs, spine and bone structure

• Palpate each and every bone seperately. Flex and

• Extend each joint seperately keeping all other joints

• Immobile. Palpate each and every dorsal spines of the

• Vertebrae. Flex and extend the neck and observe for

• Pain etc.

VI. Look at any and all lab work

• Check for any lab value that is out of the

• Normal range and bring this to the veterinarians

• Attention. Record the temperatur and weight of the

• Animal in the record daily. Observe the attitude of

• The animal and appetite.

• Notes: