Physical Examination
A physical examination (see Chapters 1 and 2) should be carefully performed to evaluate all body systems as thoroughly as possible and repeated as often as practical, because it is unusual for a disease to cause a prolonged fever without the occurrence of some physical signs.
Examination should include the following:1. Horses
a. Thorough auscultation of cardiopulmonary system at rest, with rebreathing bag, and following exercise; evaluation of peripheral perfusion before and after exercise
b. Complete visual or manual oral examination; percussion of sinuses; endoscopic examination of upper airway structures (including the guttural pouches) and of the trachea and bronchi (if length of the endoscope allows)
c. Palpation of external lymph nodes, ballottement, and deep palpation of external abdomen for pain
d. Rectal examination
e. Fecal odor, consistency, volume; frequency of defecation
f. Complete ophthalmic examination
g. Evaluation of external genitalia and mammary gland
h. Evaluation of musculoskeletal conformation and gait analysis for lameness
2. Ruminants
a. Complete visual or manual oral examination; percussion of sinuses; eye examination
b. Check for abdominal pain by withers pinch or xiphoid pressure
c. Thorough auscultation of cardiopulmonary system, evaluation of peripheral perfusion
d. Palpation of all external lymph nodes
e. Rate and quality of rumen contractions, abdominal ping, and ballottement for rumen fill and pain
f. Complete udder examination and milk evaluation of lactating females
g. Testicular and penile palpation of males
h. Complete rectal examination (cattle) or external abdominal palpation (young cattle and small ruminants)
i. Fecal color, consistency, volume; frequency of defecation
j. Evaluation of musculoskeletal conformation and gait analysis for lameness, palpation of all joints