11. Gastrointestinal system

Question 1

what should the vet ask about when it come to the history? (GI)

Answer 1

1. Eating
2. Vomiting-regurgitation
3. Defecation
4. Anus (observation, palpation)
5. Feces
6. Distended abdomen

Question 2

What about eating is important to know?

Answer 2

Appetite, weight loss,

picking up, chewing, swallowing

Question 3

what about the defecation is important?

Answer 3

• position (posture)
• frequency
• pain, tenesmus, incontinence

Question 4

What about the feces is important?

Answer 4

quantity, quality (form,color, smell, consistency, abnormal comp.) fecal digestion test

Question 5

what can the age indicate when it comes to GI problems?

Answer 5

Young: infectious diseases

Older: neoplastic diseases, chronic enteropathies

Question 6

Which disease are associated with the german shepherd ?

Answer 6

FRE, ARD, IBD; EPI

Question 7

Which disease are associated with the yorkshire terrier, rottweiler,
pug, bolo/havanese; ?

Answer 7

Lymphangiectasia

Question 8

What signs do we look for in the feces?

Answer 8

Stool volume, mucus, blood, fat

Question 9

What defecation signs do we look for ?

Answer 9

Tenesmus, urgency, frequency

Question 10

What are ‘other’ signs we look for when we determine if it is a SI-disease or LI-disease?

Answer 10

Vomiting, gas and weight loss

Question 11

What are the main differences between SBD and LBD?

Answer 11

SI-disease: stool volume are large, watery and weight loss are common.

LI-disease: the stool volume is small, dense, mucus are common, tenesmus defecation is common and the frequency are >6.

Question 12

what are the additional examination methods for the digestive tract?

Answer 12

• Laboratory examination
(blood, urine, feces, gastric content, abdominal fluid)
• X-Ray (plain, contrast, gastric emptying)
• Ultrasound
• Endoscopy (laparoscopy)
• Fluoroscopy
• Abdominocentesis
• Laparotomy
• Biopsy, FNA (cytology)
• CT, MR

Question 13

What are the parts of the digestive tract and how do we examine them?

Answer 13

HEAD
– External
– Internal

OESOPHAGUS

ABDOMEN
– Inspection
– Palpation
– Percussion
– Auscultation

ANUS
– Digital rectal palpation RDP

Question 14

How do we examine the head?

Answer 14

• Outer part

- Inner part

Question 15

what on the outer part of the head do we examine?

Answer 15

lips, chewing, musculature (cheeks), facial bones

Question 16

what on the inner part of the head do we examine?

Answer 16

Oral cavity (mouth):
Cheeks
mucous membrane
teeth
tongue,
hard and soft palate
pharynx
tonsils,
salivary glands and salivation

Question 17

What are the normal teeth of a dog?

Answer 17

Dog:
3I 1C 4P 2M
3I 1C 4P 3M

Question 18

What are the normal teeth of a cat?

Answer 18

Cat:
3I 1C 3P 1M
3I 1C 2P 1M

Question 19

What do you check when checking the teeth?

Answer 19

Number
shape
occlusion/closure
surface
colour,
tartar (plaque/cremor/calculus)
pain
movability,
percussion sound

Question 20

What do you check on the tongue?

Answer 20

– Shape, size, surface (lesions,papillas), colour, consistency/ tone, movability

Question 21

What do we check on the gingiva?

Answer 21

Colour, surface intactnes, moisture

Question 22

What do we check on the salivary glands

Answer 22

Size, colour, surface

Question 23

what do you examine in the oesophagus:

Answer 23

• Topographical anatomy
• Function
• Examination technique
-inspection
-palpation
• Additional examination
Xray, (plain, contrast) oesophagoscopy

Question 24

what are the check points for the inspection of the abdomen?

Answer 24

-size
-form
(from both sides and above body change position)
-skin surface, haircoat
-local deformaties, mass

Question 25

what are the check points for the palpation of the abdomen?

Answer 25

• standing position (should be changed)
• palpation with one or two hands from cranial to caudal
• superficial-deep palpation

Check:
Painfulnes
- Temperature
- Abdominal wall (thickness, defance
- palpable digestive organs: (stomach), liver, intestinal tract, (lnn, pancreas)
- foreign bodies!!!

Question 26

What are the check points for the percussion of the abdomen?

Answer 26

-finger to finger
abnormal findings:
-organs filled with gas and/or fluid
-organ enlargement
(local damping with fixed position)
-undulation test
-undulation/pseudoundulation

Question 27

What are the check points for the auscultation of the abdomen?

Answer 27

-detection of intestinal sounds
(borborygmi)
-Detection of changes of normal sounds
-splashing
-crepitation

Question 28

How do we examine the anus?

Answer 28

-Inspection and outer palpation
-Rectal (digital palpation)
constipation, bones, prostate, ln
-rectoscopy