Practical Manual on Veterinary Clinical Diagnostic Approach

Abstract

Veterinary clinical examination relies on knowledge of Anatomy, Physiology, Pathology and Animal behavior, skills in the methods and techniques of clinical examination, clinical sign and pathogenesis of the diseases which are the basic requirements for clinician in his/her good diagnostic approach. Disease problems in veterinary medicine are invariably presented to the clinician through the medium of the owner’s complaint, which is a request for professional assistance by giving animal history. In any clinical examination procedures, it is necessary to employ some suitable means of restraint: physical, chemical or verbal, in order to be able to carry out the examination safely and without danger to the clinician or his assistants. Inspection, Palpation, percussion and auscultation are the commonly used methods of physical examination for assessing pathophysiological or anatomical abnormalities of given animal during clinical examination. The general clinical examination involves detailed consideration of physical body condition; conformation/shape; posture; gait; abnormal behavior; body temperature; pulse; and respiration of individual animal; whereas the regional or systematic clinical examination involves the application of the various clinical methods to the various regions or systems of the body. The system involved is identified and is then examined in greater detail using either a complete or a problem oriented examination. In addition to history taking and clinical examination; skills on techniques of laboratory sample collection and submission is an important consideration for further diagnosis, treatment and take practicable control and prevention measures on identified disease.