Four Clinical Examinations Involved in Tracing Diseases in Animals
1. Physical Examination
- Thorough examination of the animal's body, including:
- Inspection: Observing the animal's posture, gait, and body condition.
- Palpation: Feeling the animal's body for abnormalities, such as swellings, lumps, or pain.
- Auscultation: Listening to the animal's heart, lungs, and abdomen for abnormal sounds.
- Percussion: Tapping on the animal's body to assess organ size and fluid accumulation.
2. Neurological Examination
- Assesses the animal's nervous system function, including:
- Gait assessment: Observing the animal's walking ability and posture.
- Cranial nerve examination: Testing the animal's vision, hearing, facial movement, and swallowing reflexes.
- Spinal cord reflexes: Assessing the animal's reflexes, such as the patellar reflex and withdrawal reflex.
3. Diagnostic Imaging
- Utilizes X-rays, ultrasound, and other imaging techniques to visualize the animal's internal structures, including:
- Radiography: X-rays that provide images of bones, soft tissues, and organs.
- Ultrasonography: Sound waves that create images of soft tissues and organs.
- Computed tomography (CT): X-rays that create cross-sectional images of the body.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): Magnetic fields and radio waves that produce detailed images of organs and tissues.
4. Laboratory Diagnostics
- Analyzes body fluids and tissues to identify pathogens, disease markers, and metabolic abnormalities, including:
- Hematology: Blood tests that measure blood cells and clotting factors.
- Biochemistry: Blood tests that assess liver, kidney, and other organ function.
- Microbiology: Culturing and identifying bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
- Histopathology: Examination of tissue samples under a microscope to identify abnormalities.