Animal Respiration
It is noted over the flanks (abdomen) or to a lesser extent at the nostril. The abdominal walls wells out during inspiration and the nostrils also become dilated at the same time. The character and number of respiration are noted while the,animal is resting. Respirations are greatly in-creased at exercise. Respiration for horse at rest is8 to 12 per minute. The ratio of respiration withpulse beat is roughly 1 : 4. In cattle at rest,respiration rate is 12 to 15 per minute. In sheep,pigs, dogs about 15 to 20.
The rate-of respiration is very constant in the-_horses but is subject to great variation in other animals; In the latter, the number is increased in warm weather, thick coat and from large quantities of food. In all cases, respiration is more frequent in young animals and in the recumbent motion. The respiration should always be calculated. for one minute. Normally, respiration are besiens, regular, partly thoracic and partly abdominal, i.e. Costoabdominal.
1. Increase in number, viz. Polypnea noted in fever.
2. Decreases in number, viz. Oligopnea, occasionaly noted in serious brain affection.
3. Shallow and Irregular Respirations - noted in severe intoxication and infection in which the respirations are very irregular in their depth and frequency. The breathing progressively increases in intensity and frequency and slowly subsides and may temporarily cease.
4. Cheyne Stoke Respiration—Only occasionally noted in severe intoxication. and infection in which the respirations are very irregular in their depth and frequency. The breathing progressively increases in intensity and frequency and slowly subsides and may temporarily cease.
5.Costal Respiration—In which the abdominal movements are checked and movement of the ribs become exaggerated e.g. in very severe painful abdominal affections (Acute Peritonitis).
6.Abdominal Respiration—Where the ribs are fixed more or less and the abdominal move-ments are exaggerated as in acute painful thoracic affection, e.g. Early stages of Acute Pleurisy.
7.Dyspnoea—is laboured breathing. The Respirations in this case may also be increased infrequency. Dyspnoea is sometimes expiratory or inspiratory but frequently or most commonly, itis both. In respiratory dyspnoea, the entrance of the air into the lungs is difficult due to somepressure or obstruction or inability, interfering with the enhancement of air into the lungs. In thisform, all respiratory movements are prolonged.The nostrils are dilated, the head and neck are extended, the forelimbs are abducted and the elbows turned out. The ribs become very promi-nent. This is noted in stenosis of the respiratory passages in Bronchitis, Pulmonary oedema and in Pneumonia.
In expiratory dyspnoea, the exit of the air is made difficult. The expiratory movements areprolonged and exaggerated, the contraction of the abdominal wall is pronounced. Expiratory dyspnoea is noted in Chronic Bronchitis and the adhesion of the lungs to the chest wall. In BrokenWind, there is expiratory dyspnoea, but the abdominal effort is double. The abdominal contrac-tion is at first a short normal movement followed after a slight pause by a much more strenuous and prolonged contraction. The dyspnoea is both expiratory and inspiratory in most severe dis-eases of the respiratory tract. In pleurisy with effusion, in Pneumothorax and Hydrothorax.
8.Quick Respiration—In this, the respira-tions are short and end in slight grunt noted inacute painful affections.
9. Orthopnoea—In which an animal can only breathe in standing condition.
Other changes noted in connection with res-piration will include.
(i) Stertor or Snoring—Stertor is applied in the lower larynx to the sound produced by a pendulous soft palate during sleep or coma. Snor-ing is applied to the sound produced by the presence of tumour or abscess or other swelling in the Pharynx or nasal chamber.
(ii)Sneezing—It is a noise produced duringa forced expiration through the nose.
(iii)Grunting —A grunt is a forced audibleexpiration through a partly dosed glottis. In cattle,the grunt is short and may be regular or irregular.It indicates the presence of some painful disease.In lung affection (Pneumonia), the grunt is simul-taneous with the respiration while in abdominalaffections, it is irregular.
(iv)Roaring—Grunt is prolonged.
(v)Cough—It is sudden expulsion of air from the lungs through a partially closed glottis. It is a reflex action and results from irritation of the mucous membrane of larynx or bronchial tube or lungs, from inflammatory changes, irritant foreign bodies or gases, presence of mucous or foreign bodies or parasites in the air passages. A cough is rare in health and then is strong, loud and full of tone.
There are various forms of cough, viz. harsh loud cough noted in early stages of Pharyngitis orLaryngitis. When exudation occur, the cough be-comes soft and moist. Weak cough is noted in Pneumonia, short or suppressed cough in Pleu-risy. Short and dry hard cough noted in Broken Wind. Paroxysmal cough is one that is repeated several times in quick succession and is noted in Pharyngitis and Laryngitis. Symptomatic cough is a small dry hard cough said to occur in indigestion, diseases of the liver and pregnancy.
Discharges—In disease, a nasal discharge may come from any part of the respiratory tract.The discharge is copious in catarrh of the upper air passages and in affections of the sinus orguttural pouches but it may be intermittent and only profuse when head is depressed.
A nasal discharge may be unilateral when it comes from a nasal chamber but it is bilateral. When it comes from any part of the respiratory tract behind the nasal chamber.
In catarrh, the discharges are at first clear and watery or mucoid and later opaque or yellowish or yellowish white.
In the horse, in the inflammation of the Pharynx, the discharge may contain the coloring matter of the food or food material owing to the return of the latter from the pharynx to the nasal chamber. Sometimes, the discharge is lumpy or flocculent particularly in chronic condition or itmay contain yellow floccules of fibrin in croupous inflammation.
In acute Pneumonia (Lobar) of the horse, thedischarge is usually scanty and rusty coloured. A nasal discharge is foetid, dark in gangrene of thelungs. And this is also noted in Pneumonia due toa foreign body going the wrong way. The discharge may, however, be putrid without gangrene, specially in chronic inflammation of the respiratory tract when the exudate remains inposition for a time and decomposes such as necrosis of bone, caries of teeth, ulcerating tumours.A discharge of blood from the nasal mucousmembrane, nasal haemorrhage, ulcers or from the lungs.