Clinical approach to alimentary disease Flashcards
Signs of vomiting
Active process
NAUSEA/HYPERSALIVATION
Retching
Partially digested food
Often bile present
Acidic
Time after eating variable
Signs of regurgitation
Passive
No nausea
No/little retching or abdominal contraction - can catch them off guard so risk of aspiration pneumonia
Generally no bile
Mostly undigested food as has not got to stomach yet
Time after eating variable
Signs of expectoration
Coughing up
may be swallowed back down or expelled
Mostly mucus
Signs of small intestinal diarrhoea
Increased volume
Normal frequency
Melaena
Colour variations
Weight loss
Vomiting
Appetite changes
Signs of large intestinal diarrhoea
Normal/increased volume
Increased frequency
Urgency +/- tenesmus
Haemochezia (fresh blood)
Usually no weight loss
Vomiting uncommon
Normal appetite
What can a faecal analysis be used for in GI disease?
Culture
Parasitology
Giardia ELISA
What general background questions should you ask?
Vaccinations
Parasite cover
Lifestyle/environment
Other pets or symptoms in humans?
Dietary history
What? (specifically)
How often?
Changes?
Did they put on bland diet after onset of signs?
Any tidbits/scavenging?
What is the prayer position a classic sign of?
Abdominal pain
