clin approach to chronic diarrhea

Question 1

eleven aspects of the history in the patient with chronic diarrhea (i did NOT find 11 in the lecture sooo ill come back to that)

Answer 1

• species
• age
• breed
• duration
• feces appearance
• appetite
• weight loss
• diet
• tenesmus
• progression
• environment

Question 2

true/ false

PE is often normal with chronic diarrhea

Answer 2

true

Question 3

biochem findings with chronic diarrhea (+/-)

Answer 3

• Ca is decreased due to hypoalbuminemia
• panhypoproteinemia due to hemorrhage
• increased liver enzymes due to reactive hepatopathy or other dz

Question 4

what do you do if there is vs there is not protein losing enteropathy (albumin) with chronic diarrhea

Answer 4

• normal protein : we do serum TLI -> EPI or small bowl dz, if it does not improve with diet or antibiotic tx do biopsy
• low protein (more common in dogs): we do intestinal biopsy

Question 5

cobalamin / folate test

Answer 5

• diagnostic test for chronic diarrhea
• cobalamin most important because deficiency seems to be common with GI dz and low concentrations are associated with tx failure
• cats are more likely to have problems because they only have one source, the pancreas, while the dog has both the pancreas and the stomach

Question 6

true / false

intestinal biopsy is essential for diagnostic of inflammatory bowel dz, tumors, and mycotic infections

Answer 6

true