Clin Path

Question 1

What is one potential cause of high BGL in a cat?

Answer 1

Stress.

Can also cause glucosuria.

Question 2

What is the term for high PCV?

Answer 2

Erythrocytosis

Question 3

What two things can cause selective hypochloraemia?

Answer 3

1. Vomiting - HCl loss to outside world

2. Proximal GI obstruction - Cl not getting to intestines to be reabsorbed

Question 4

How do you calculate corrected chloride?

Answer 4

measured Cl x (normal Na / measured Na)

Use midpoint of Na interval for ‘normal’
If still low, then true chloride loss

Question 5

What is a degenerative left shift?

Answer 5

A decrease in the total number of neutrophils in the blood (CBC) but an increase in the proportion of band neutrophils (immature) in peripheral blood, meaning that synthesis in the bone marrow is not keeping up with demand by the body.

Question 6

What does low TP in the face of dehydration mean? What three disease mechanisms are now on the list?

Answer 6

The animal likely has even less protein than it seems - protein losing enteropathy, liver dysfunction and protein losing nephropathy are on the list.

Question 7

Your animal has low protein and you have just characterised this as a panhypoproteinaemia (both albumin and globulins). How does this help identify the cause?

Answer 7

Because if lost via kidneys then globulin wouldn’t be low - might be high
Because if lost due to hepatic insufficiency then globulin would probably be high

Question 8

What does disproportionate loss of Cl - relative to Na+ signify?

Answer 8

Likely proximal GI obstruction or pathology

- Cl from HCl not passing to the intestines and being reabsorbed

Question 9

Why might you see hyperkalaemia in metabolic acidosis?

Answer 9

The pH messes with the K+ channels meaning less is being pumped back into cells all around the body, increasing the level in the blood.

Question 10

What are two things that can cause lymphopaenia?

Answer 10

Stress, corticosteroid use

Question 11

What is leukocytosis?

Answer 11

Elevated number of leukocytes

Question 12

If you have low protein and also low PCV then what is the problem likely to be?

Answer 12

Haemorrhage is high on the list

Question 13

What does TS measure?

Answer 13

The proportion of total solids in the blood. Protein is a part of this

Question 14

What makes up a transudate?

Answer 14

Low protein, low cells

Question 15

What about a modified transudate?

Answer 15

Low cells, high to moderate protein

Question 16

What about an exudate?

Answer 16

High cells, high protein

Question 17

What is the most common protein losing enteropathy in dogs?

Answer 17

Lymphangiectasia

Question 18

What are three conditions that might cause EPI?

Answer 18

Juvenile pancreatic atrophy
Chronic necrotising pancreatitis
Neoplasia of the pancreas

Question 19

What is TLI? What is a positive result for a dog?

Answer 19

Trypsin-like immunoreactivity test for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency
Positive result is less than 2.5ng/mL

Question 20

What are two tests you could run to confirm EPI?

Answer 20

TLI

Serum folate and cobalamin

Question 21

What results on serum folate cobalamin would you expect for EPI? Why?

Answer 21

Increased folate due to acidity of lumen promoting its absorption (less pancreatic HCO3-)
Decreased cobalamin due to less IF in the lumen

Question 22

What would folate do for a more diffuse pathology like lymphoma or IBD?

Answer 22

Decrease