At this link (Galaxy Vets Foundation) you can contact a veterinarian and receive help online. Before that, you need to examine the animal. If it approaches on its own, then it is better to feed it first: put down food and step away. Then try to put down food and stay nearby, then you can slowly come closer, try to give food from your hands, then pet it and establish contact. Restraining cats is a little harder; they need to be allowed to calm down, try to feed them, and only then examine them. If a dog shows aggression, a loop made from any fabric or bandage can be put on its muzzle.
You can understand the health condition of a cat or dog when it feels relatively safe. A puppy or kitten after feeding and sleep will be playful and active. A depressed animal that sleeps for a long time and shows no interest is most likely sick. A hunched posture may indicate abdominal pain. A stiff gait may indicate polyarthritis. An animal that does not want to move its neck or raise its head may feel neck pain associated with a disc hernia or meningitis.
With general observation, you can assess the animal’s breathing.
Normal vital parameters Dogs Cats Heart rate (beats per minute): Adult animals 70-160 120-240 Giant breeds 60-140 average, 187 Mini breeds <180 Puppies <220 Respiratory rate (breaths/min) 12-40 20-40 Temperature (C) 38.5-39.5 38.5-39.5
Rectal temperature is measured with a lubricated (oil, petroleum jelly) thermometer for 3-5 minutes.
Determining pulse in animals
The best place on a cat or dog is the femoral artery in the groin area. Place your fingers around the front part of the hind leg and move upward until the back of your palm touches the abdominal wall. Move your fingertips back and forth along the inner side of the thigh until you feel a pulse. Count the number of beats in 15 seconds and multiply by 4. This will give you the pulse rate in beats per minute (bpm). Pulse rate is highly variable and may be affected by recent physical exercise, excitement, or stress.
Abnormal pulse
- too fast or too slow
- weak, irregular, or hard to determine.
If the animal allows itself to be touched or is in critical condition, then we can conduct a physical (manual) examination. The examination should cover all parts of the animal from nose to toes and tail. Conducting a hands-on examination of some cats can be difficult. The general rule of thumb is to hold the cat as little as possible.
Run both hands over the entire body surface to assess the condition of the skin and hair coat. Check for skin and subcutaneous formations, baldness, ectoparasites, pustules and papules, scales, erythema, dermatitis, and petechiae.
Control the degree of dehydration (smoothing of a skin fold in the withers area - pinch the skin between your fingers and release it); normally, the fold smooths out within a few seconds.
You will need this basic examination of the animal in order to carefully describe the animal’s condition and symptoms to the doctor, and then even at a distance the doctor will be able to provide treatment recommendations. You can receive a consultation free of charge through the chat.