Acute Diarrhea and Diseases

Question 1

How do you classify acute diarrhea?

Answer 1

• Small vs. large intestine
• self-resolving or life-threatening

*life threatening LI is rare

Question 2

What is the pathogenesis of parvo?

Answer 2

• Oral infection (oropharyngeal l.n.) or transplacental infection (targets thymus) and viral replication
  
  • viremia > spreads to l.n., spleen, bone marrow and intestine
  • lymphoid cell necrosis and leukopenia, necrosis of germinal epithelial cells and enteritis/diarrhea
  • sepsis > DIC > death

Question 3

How do you diagnose parvo?

Answer 3

• Good hx and PE
• EM of fresh feces
• histopath of intestine
• tissue immunofluorescence
• most sensitive test = fecal ELISA in the first 10-12 days post-infection

Question 4

How do you treat parvo, and what are some prophylactic efforts you can make?

Answer 4

• Treatment: Aimed at maintaining blood volume and oncotic pressure with IV fluids and plasma, prevention of hypokalemia
  
  • ​injectable antiemetics
  • broad spectrum parenteral abx
  • early enteral nutrition
  • prokinetics and H2 receptor antagonists or PPIs
  • NO indication for corticosteroid or anti-inflams
• ​​​Prevention = immunity after infection, vaccinate

Question 5

What are the clinical signs of HGE?

Answer 5

• Depression
• vomiting +/- blood
• diarrhea —> dysentery, varying severity
  
  • vital signs proportional to severity
• skin turgor may be normal
• MM normal

Question 6

How do you treat HGE?

Answer 6

• IV catheter—> rapid fluid replacement with balanced electrolyte solution, titration against PCV
• antiemetics
• parenteral antibiotics
• initially NPO

Question 7

What is the difference between type 1 and type 2 canine parvo?

Answer 7

Type 1: does not usually cause enteric dz, can cause abortion in pregnant bitches

Type 2: new virus, causes severe enteritis, closely related to feline panleukopenia

Question 8

Describe parvovirus

Answer 8

It’s an acute contagious diarrheal dz of dogs and cats - canine parvo caused by epitheliotropic enterovirus that targets rapidly dividing cells

Question 9

What are the clinical features of parvo viral enteritis?

Answer 9

• Subclinical to peracute diarrhea (hemorrhagic, watery, yellow, brown, or grey) and death
• depression
• anorexia
• fever
• vomiting (severe, prolonged)
• leukopenia (variable)
• dehydration