- - AGRICULTURE CORE CURRICULUM - - (CLF3000) Advanced Core Cluster: ANIMAL SCIENCE (CLF3300) Unit Title: ANIMAL HEALTH ____________________________________________________________________________ (CLF3304) Topic: HEALTH PRACTICES Time Year(s) 4 hours 3 / 4 ____________________________________________________________________________ Topic Objectives: Upon completion of this lesson, the student will be able to: Learning Outcome #: (E-5) - Take the body temperature of four livestock species, compare the readings with the normal temperatures of each species, and discuss factors that may increase or decrease an animal's temperature. (E-6) - Demonstrate proper methods of subcutaneous and intramuscular injections on livestock. (E-7) - Calculate the correct dosage of medication from the instructions of the label for livestock of various weights. Special Materials and Equipment: Several livestock thermometers, Supplemental Handout #3, syringes and needles, oranges, sample bottles of medicine or labels from the bottles. References: Ensminger, M.E. THE STOCKMAN'S HANDBOOK. Ensminger, M.E. HORSES AND HORSEMANSHIP. California Vocational Agriculture Curriculum Guidelines, AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION "Animal Health", Vol. 1A. Evaluation: Quiz by instructor and demonstrate the proper techniques in taking a temperature, reading a thermometer, calculating correct dosages, and giving injections. TOPIC PRESENTATION: HEALTH PRACTICES A. Body Temperatures 1. Normal body temperatures: are listed in Supplemental Handout #3. Body temperature is useful in diagnosing a disease and observing its course. 2. Factors affecting body temperatures: a. Infectious diseases - 1) A rise in body temperature will occur due to the natural response from an inflammation from a wound. 2) A fever can be one of the first signs of a disease. b. Environmental conditions - 1) In extremely warm weather, the body temperature may rise, and in extremely cold weather, the body temperature may decrease slightly. (Hypothermia results when the body temperature drops below normal for any extended amount of time.) 2) At night, the body temperature decreases. c. Exercise - May elevate the temperature slighty. d. Feed - Large quantities of high energy feed being consumed may cause a slight increase in temperature. e. Age - Older animals usually have a lower body temperature than younger animals. 3. Taking a temperature: a. Restrain the animal. b. Always use a livestock thermometer - 1) It is heavier and more rugged than a human thermometer. 2) Prior to inserting it, a long string with a clip should be tied to the end of the thermometer. 3) The thermometer should be lubricated before it is inserted into the rectum (use saliva, water, or K-Y Jelly). 4) Shake down the thermometer to force all the mercury to the end of the bulb to get an accurate reading. c. The temperature is measured by inserting the thermometer full length into the rectum. 1) It should be left for a minimum of 3 minutes, or until the reading stabilizes. 2) Clean and disinfect the thermometer after each use. __________________________________________________________ ACTIVITY: 1. Study Supplemental Worksheet #3 and have students learn the normal body temperatures for those species listed. 2. If animals are available, practice taking temperatures. __________________________________________________________ B. Types of injections and their administration: Method used depend on the animal involved, the purpose of the injection, and the kind and amount of solution used. 1. Intramuscular (IM): a. The most common type of injection (absorbed quickly) - 1) Given into any muscle that is large enough to accommodate the amount of fluid being injected. 2) Usually injected into the large muscles such as those in the thigh, rump, or neck. a) Sheep and goats: use the back leg muscles, insert the needle at a 90 degree angle to the surface of the muscle. b) Swine: use the neck muscles behind the ears, injections into the ham can bruise the meat. b. Proper technique involves - 1) Choosing the proper size and gauge needle. a) Usually a 1-1 1/2 inch long needle is used, b) 16-18 gauge needles are most frequently chosen (gauge indicates the diameter of the needle, the smaller the gauge, the bigger the needle). c) Cleanliness is very important. Always use sterile needles and syringes so that no unwanted micro-organisms are forced into the body. 2) Filling the syringe: a) Most solutions require shaking the bottle before filling the syringe. b) Place the needle on the syringe and insert the needle through the rubber stopper on top of the medication bottle. c) Pull back on the syringe plunger, allowing fluid to flow into the syringe until you have reached the desired amount. d) Pull the needle out of the bottle and turn the stringe upright (needle up) to tap bubbles out of the solution, by using your finger against the side of the syringe. 3) Giving the injection: a) Be sure to restrain the animal when demonstrating vaccinations. (Many herdsmen do not need to restrain the animal because they work quickly, but for demonstration purposes and for practice we suggest restraint.) b) Clean the injection site with antiseptic. (Do not clean area if bottle directions state that the solution will have a reaction with the antiseptic.) c) Remove the needle from the filled syringe, and hold it by the hub with your thumb and index finger, with the point facing downward, d) Face the opposite direction of the animal if possible and tap (light slapping temporarily numbs the area) the site with the side of the hand 2 or 3 times, then insert ("pop") the needle at a 45 degree angle firmly into the animal's muscle to the hub with the next tap. e) Quickly attach the syringe to the needle, but before injecting the medicine, pull back on the plunger slightly to be certain that the needle is not lodged in a vein or artery, if you withdraw blood, you must reinsert the needle into the muscle in a different place. (Injection directly into a vessel with some compounds may even kill an animal.) f) Finally inject the drug in slowly, but remove the needle quickly and directly to not stress the animal or cause a surface tear in the skin. 4) Precautions: a) Since anaphylactic shock and immediate death can result when certain drugs are accidentally administered intravenously, (e.g., a severe reaction occurs if Penicillin G is injected into the blood vessel), intramuscular injections should be given slowly. b) Depending on the animal,if more than 10 mls. of medicine is to be injected, it may be necessary to use more than one injection site. c) Rotate sites when administering a series of injections to prevent soreness and local inflammation in one particular muscle. d) The suggested volume (ml) of solution for species per site: (depending on age and size), species volume (ml) sheep/goats: 5 - 10 swine: 10 - 15 horses: 10 - 15 cattle: 15 - 20 2. Subcutaneous (Sub Q): a. Fluid is deposited directly beneath the skin, NOT IN THE MUSCLE. Medication is absorbed slower than by IM or IV. The sub Q method is used for hormones and some drugs. 1) It is easiest to make this injection where the skin lies in loose folds. For example, a) the side of the neck in cattle, b) the side of the neck in horses, c) behind the ear in swine, and d) the inner surface of the upper hind leg in sheep. 2) The proper technique involves; choosing the correct gauge needle. Usually it is very short, a 20-25 gauge, 5/8-1" needle, and of course cleanliness is very important. 3) Giving the injection: a) Restrain the animal so neither it or the handlers will be injured. b) Grasp the skin firmly between the thumb and forefinger, then thrust the needle quickly and firmly through all layers of skin at a relatively flat angle. (The point of the needle can be moved sideways when it is in the proper position beneath the skin.) c) The plunger should be pulled back slightly before the injection is made to make sure that the point of the needle is not lodged in a vein (if blood appears in the syringe, another site should be selected). d) After the injection has been administered slowly and the needle removed the point of injection site should be massaged gently. This hastens the absorption of the medicine and prevents leakage from the injection site. A slight bulge should be evident directly under the skin at the injection site. 4) Precautions: a) Take similar precautions to those stated above for IM injections. b) Care should be given that the medicine is not injected into a muscle, otherwise a large swelling or abscess may result. c) Volume of solution that may be injected at one site (depending on size and age of animal): Species Volume (ml) cattle 50 - 100 swine 30 sheep/goats 2 - 30 3. Intravenous (IV): a. Fluid is injected directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the absorption process. 1) This is the most difficult injection to administer. It can be administered in the jugular vein in large animals; a) the ear vein in rabbits, pigs, and rats; and b) the front leg in cats and dogs. 2) Proper technique: a) Restraining the animal carefully is very important since any motion could cause the needle to tear out of the vein. b) Choosing the proper size needle (depends on the size of animal), is important, the normal is 18-20 gauge and 1-1 1/2"; however pigs will need a 1 1/2", 20-22 gauge needle with a 3-5 ml syringe. c) Shaving the hair from the injection site is a good practice and should be followed by disinfecting the skin with a 70 percent alcohol solution. 3) Giving the injection: a) Solutions must be injected very slowly as they take effect immediately. b) The injection is made by constricting the vein and causing it to swell. Digital pressure is applied with the thumb over the jugular furrow about 2/3 the way down the neck, with the blood flow obstructed, the distended vein is seen immediately above the thumb. Stroking the vein will cause it to become even more apparent. c) Using a sterile needlewith the bevel pointed up, insert at a 30 degree angle into the swollen vein, when the vein is entered, blood will drip into the syringe, (arterial blood would spurt out and there are severe side effects with an arterial injection). d) If the intravenous method is being used to give large doses of liquids, an IV drip set up may be attached and secured to the animal (IV catheterization). 4) Precautions: a) This injection is the most dangerous to perform, and should be done by an experienced person. b) The drug action takes place within 15-60 seconds after the injection. c) While injecting the solution aspirate periodically to make sure you are still in the vein, especially if the animal moves. 4. Other types of injections: a. Intraperitoneal (IP) - 1) Is made through the abdominal lining. 2) This injection is difficult to administer properly and requires complete restraint. b. Intraruminal (IR) - 1) Is made through the left flank region and into the rumen. 2) Is used in sheep and cattle to relieve bloat. __________________________________________________________ ACTIVITY: 1. If animals are available, demonstrate proper techniques in administering SubQ and IM injections and have students practice injecting sterile saline. 2. If animals are unavailable, demonstrate proper techniques in administering SubQ and IM injections by using oranges as pseudo animals. (Use food coloring as "medicine" so students can see actual injection locations after they peel their oranges!) 3. Note: The use of live animals is offered as a suggestion only. School restrictions may recommend against such practices, except during necessary vaccination or treatment cycles. If a "practice" session is planned, it might be wise to have an animals health professional present. __________________________________________________________ C. Dosage Calculation 1. Understanding label information: a. Be certain that you read all label information BEFORE using medications on animals. Adhere to expiration dates and storage procedures (most are kept refrigerated). Temperature of injected materials should never be higher than body temperature. Keep solutions out of direct sunlight. b. Never use veterinary medications on animals other than those for the intended use. c. The proper amount of medication to use on each species and size of animal is on the label. d. Know what types of injections can be used, (IM, SubQ, etc.). e. Keep records of your injections. f. Do not vaccinate unhealthy animals. 2. Dosage: a. Injection materials will be measured in cubic centimeters (cc), a milliliter (ml) and (a cc) are equal measurements. Very often the syringe will have measurements in cubic centimeters and the medicine label will provide the dosage in milliliters. b. Usually dosages are given per 100 pounds of body weight so it is very important that you have a good idea of the animal's weight. c. Practice problems - 1) Procaine is a type of penicillin administered intra- muscularly. The label indicates 1 ml per 100 pounds of body weight for 2-3 days. a) You own a 600 pound sick heifer, how many cc's should you administer daily? b) ANSWER: easy!! 6 ml. (Remember, never give more than 10 cc's in one site, and in smaller animals give even lower doses. For example, two 5cc injections rather than one 10cc.) 2) Combiotic is an antibiotic that is widely administered to all species of livestock. The label indicates dosages for each species according to weight. a) For example, Sheep 8 - 10 lbs 1/4 - 1/2 ml 10 - 20 lbs 1/2 - 1 ml 20 - 50 lbs 1 - 2 ml over 50 lbs 2 - 6 ml b) You own 2 sick lambs that weigh 40 pounds each. What dosage would you administer daily? c) ANSWER: 2 ml per lamb daily. (Usually with any antibiotic, the dosage should be administered daily for 3 days minimum.) 3) Terramycin is another type of antibiotic often used in cattle and swine. The label says 3-5 mg (milligrams) per pound of body weight. (Each ml contains 100 mg.) a) What would the dosage be for a 340 pound calf? b) Calculations: Let's give 4 mg per pound of body weight. 4 X 340 = 1360 mg. (The average of 3-5 mg.) 1 ml 1360 mg x ------- = 13.6 ml 100 mg c) ANSWER: 13.6 ml (How many sites would we use? Two of course!) __________________________________________________________ ACTIVITY: 1. Practice dosage calculation using actual types of animal drugs (dewormers and antibiotics). __________________________________________________________ Supplemental Handout #3 NORMAL BODY TEMPERATURES, HEART, AND RESPIRATION RATES ============================================================================ oF oF HEART RATE/ RESP RATE/ SPECIES AVERAGE RANGE MINUTE MINUTE ____________________________________________________________________________ Horses 100.5 99.0 - 100.8 28 - 50 8 - 16 Cattle 101.5 100.4 - 102.8 40 - 70 10 - 30 Sheep 102.3 100.9 - 103.8 60 - 90 12 - 19 Swine 102.6 102.0 - 103.6 58 - 100 8 - 18 Poultry 106.0 105.0 - 106.0 ============================================================================ 5/10/90sg #%&C