Download TO DETERMINE AN ANIMAL`S TEMPERATURE

Some conditions that might change an animal’s body temperature include:
High body temperature
Low body temperature
Infections
Shock
Heat stroke
Hypothermia ( exposure to cold )
Pain
Severe disease
Inflammation
Anaesthesia
Convulsion
Poisoning
Fever is also known as pyrexia and refers to an elevated temperature due to an
infection.
There are many more examples that can be found.
In the dog for instance, even with severe disease, the temperature rarely exceeds 41 o C
or falls below 36 o C.
An interesting situation may occur in the pregnant bitch just prior to giving birth,
where the temperature falls up to two degrees.
TO DETERMINE AN ANIMAL’S TEMPERATURE
A standard mercury thermometer is usually used. These can take a little getting used to
initially. A magnified view is shown below.
35
6
7
8
9
40
1
2
The mercury (the silver liquid in the bulb) will rise up the thermometer with heat. It
will then stay in the position of the highest temperature.
1
35
6
The numerals indicate the degrees centigrade, and are further broken down in to tenths
of a degree.
The temperature is determined by reading the top of the mercury, which is a silver
colour, against the blue or white background. Try reading the examples below and then
practice with your own thermometer using warm water (under the tap) to change the
readings.
35
6
7
8
9
40
1
2
35
6
7
8
9
40
1
2
35
6
7
8
9
40
1
2
The readings in the above case are
36.6o C
, 40 .0 o C,
38.8 o C
Remember to use the tenth of a degree scale, and report the temperature using tenths of
a degree.
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VIRUSES
Viruses are much smaller than bacteria and can only be seen using an electron
microscope that magnifies in the order of 400,000 times. They have a
unique structure that often resembles a crystalline shape than that of a
living thing. Viruses live and reproduce only in the cells of plants and
animals. Not all viruses are harmful, but many pathogenic ones are
capable of causing contagious diseases (spread from animal to animal).
Some examples of diseases caused by viruses include:
Distemper
A disease affecting the dog that can result in the death of the
animal from convulsions.
Feline Respiratory Disease
Better known as cat flu. A highly contagious and sometimes
serious disease of cats.
Foot and mouth disease
A debilitating disease of livestock that can have a dramatic
effect on production of stock and a country’s economic situation
( you are unable to sell affected stock )
Human diseases
Colds, measles, chicken pox, AID’s are all examples of human
viral diseases.
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PROTOZOANS
Protozoans are single celled organisms that may be seen
with the light microscope and magnification as little as
50 times. There are thousands of different species of
protozoa found naturally in the environment on both
land and in water. They
have a useful role in the
environment, being an important part of the ecosystem. In plant eating animals such as
cattle and horses they form an important part of the microbial flora of the stomach and
intestine that digest plant material.
However, occasionally these organisms can cause disease, especially if the host animal
is stressed or has an immune system that is not working properly.
Some examples of diseases caused by protozoans include:
Coccidiosis
A disease causing severe enteritis (diarrhoea features) in
animals, often blood stained and resulting in death.
Toxoplasmosis
A mild disease of cats, which may cause diarrhoea, but may
also go unnoticed, with cats carrying the disease.
It is of concern as it may cause abortion in women, if contracted
from cats.
Giardia infection
A common parasite of the intestine that can cause diarrhoea in
animals and man.
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NON
INFECTIOUS
DISEASES
This broad category of disease describes all those other diseases that are not caused by
infectious organisms. That is, they are not caused by bacteria or viruses or any other
living creature, but by other causes.
This is a very large and varied group of diseases and it is useful to further classify
these into more specific groups. One such classification is shown below:

Nutritional diseases

Physical diseases or trauma

Hormonal diseases

Chemical diseases

Degenerative diseases

Immunological diseases

Metabolic diseases

Psychological diseases

Inherited diseases

Unknown causes
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Nutritional diseases
These are caused by an excess or deficiency of components of the diet.
Rickets is a disease that may be seen with dietary
deficiencies of calcium or Vitamin D resulting in
misshapen and weak bones. Obesity is another
example that may be caused by excessive food intake.
There are hundreds of diseases that have been
identified and fit into this
category.
Hormonal diseases
These diseases are associated with an excess or deficiency of a particular hormone.
Hormones are chemical messengers in the body, and abnormal levels of hormones cause
abnormal body function.
Diabetes mellitus is a disease that features excessive drinking and urinating, weight loss and
other body changes. It is caused by a deficiency of the hormone insulin.
Dozens of other hormonal diseases have been identified.
Degenerative diseases
These diseases are associated with a breakdown or wearing of tissues. Age or excessive use
often contribute to these diseases.
Arthritis is an example where the animal’s joints become worn and painful.
There are many examples of degenerative diseases seen in animals
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TRANSMISSION OF DISEASES
Having discussed how a disease might leave and enter an animal, we now need to consider how
the disease is passed or transmitted from one animal to another.
Diseases may be transmitted either directly or indirectly.
DIRECT
DISEASE TRANSMISSION
INDIRECT
DIRECT TRANSMISSION
Here the animals have direct contact and the disease causing organisms will be transferred from
one animal to the next. Some actions that will permit direct transmission include:

touching

sucking

licking

biting

breathing , sneezing and coughing

sexual contact
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SKIN
The skin of an animal is exposed to the environment and other animals, and may often be in
contact with potentially disease causing organisms.
The skin acts in several ways to prevent micro - organisms entering the body, they include:
Physical Barrier
If the skin remains unbroken, the tough outer
layer (the epidermis) acts as a physical barrier
preventing the entry of micro - organisms. For
an infectious organism to enter through the skin,
the skin must be damaged as might happen with
a cut or graze, or be punctured as might occur in
a fight or by insect bites.
Production of chemicals
Various areas of skin produce sweat, oils and
wax. Most of these chemicals are harmful to
many micro - organisms.
Useful micro - organisms
Populations of bacteria live on the skin of
animals without causing any harm. These are
referred to as normal flora. They live on the
skin and are unaffected by the normal defences
of animal. Their presence will discourage the
action of foreign, potentially disease causing
bacteria as they physically take up space where
other organisms might try to invade and they
will produce chemicals that are toxic to
(kill)
other bacteria.
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ASSIGNMENT 4A
STUDENTS NAME
Vet Medical
Nursing 1
______________________________________
Answer the following questions
1.
Describe 3 ways in which the skin acts to prevent infectious micro - organisms
entering the body
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
2.
Describe how cilia in the respiratory tract act as a barrier to infection.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
3.
List four chemicals that mucous membranes produce that may be harmful to
micro - organisms
4
________________________
_____________________________
________________________
_____________________________
List the five main signs of inflammation
________________________
_____________________________
________________________
_____________________________
________________________
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