Cough in small animals

Question 1

What do you expect to hear if a patient is coughing from cardiac disease

Answer 1

Sinus tachycardia
Arrhythmias
Murmurs
Gallop sounds
Pulmonary crackles

Question 2

What do you expect to hear if a patient is coughing from respiratory disease

Answer 2

Sinus arrhythmia
Bradycardia
Pulmonary crackles
Wheezes
Stertor/ stridor

Question 3

Cor pulmonale

Answer 3

Chronic lung disease may lead to pulmonary hypertension and right sided heart enlargement

Question 4

How much fluid is required for lavage in small animals during broncho-alveolar lavage

Answer 4

Fluid for lavage: 1-2mls saline/kg in total
Cats: 10-25 ml; Dogs: 25-50 ml

Question 5

T/F Bronchoalveolar lavage provides definitive diagnosis of lower airway disease in many cases.

Answer 5

True!

Question 6

Cat Coughing for at least 2 months
Dyspnoeic episodes may occur if concurrent asthma
Pyrexia, lethargy, inappetence if concurrent bronchopneumonia
What disease is this?

Answer 6

Chronic Bronchitis/ Chronic Airway Disease

Question 7

Treatment for chronic bronchitis

Answer 7

Bronchodilators
Antibacterial therapy (doxycycline)
Glucocorticosteroids
Mucolytics
Control of environmental pollutants
Physiotherapy

Question 8

List examples of bronchodilators for the use in SA

Answer 8

Salbutamol (Albuterol) – inhaled
Salmeterol (Serevent) - inhaled
Terbutaline – 0.625mg –1.25 mgs per os q12h
Theophylline - 20mg/kg per os q24 hours

Question 9

List examples of antibiotics for the use in SA with chronic bronchitis

Answer 9

doxycycline, enrofloxacin + clindamycin or amoxycillin

Question 10

List examples of corticosteroids for the use in SA with chronic bronchitis

Answer 10

Prednisolone – 0.25–2mg/kg PO q 12 hours for 7 -14 days and then taper dose
Fluticasone, budesonide, beclomethasone–inhaled

Question 11

What could be some observations on a thoracic radiograph of a cat with feline asthma and chronic bronchitis concurrent

Answer 11

Bronchial lung pattern
Collapsed right middle lung lobe

Question 12

T/F Secondary lung tumours is the most prevalenent neoplasia disease causing coughing in cats

Answer 12

True!

Question 13

Parasites that cause coughing in cats

Answer 13

Aeluronstrongylus abstrusus
Capillaria aerophilia
Dirofilaria immitis (heartworm)

Question 14

Fungus that cause coughing in cats

Answer 14

Cryptococcus neoformans (mainly nasal)
Aspergillus, Histoplasma & Blastomyces can cause pneumonia

Question 15

Protozoal that cause coughing in cats

Answer 15

Toxoplasmosis

Question 16

Treatment for lung worm in cats

Answer 16

Fenbendazole

Question 17

Treatment for fungus in cats

Answer 17

Fluconazole, itraconazole

Question 18

Treatment for protozoa in cats

Answer 18

Clindamycin

Question 19

Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex (Kennel Cough) can be caused by what

Answer 19

Bordetella bronchiseptica
Parainfluenza III
Canine distemper virus
Canine adenovirus II
Canine herpes virus
Mycoplasma spp.

Question 20

Management of dog with kennel cough

Answer 20

Restrict exercise (& isolate)
Harness instead of collar
Avoid dusty/smoky environment
+/- doxycycline or amoxycillin clavulanate
+/- antitussives

Question 21

Clinical findings of dogs with kennel cough

Answer 21

Harsh, easily elicited non-productive cough
+/- pyrexia/inappetence/ nasal discharge

Question 22

Clinical findings of dogs with chronic bronchitis

Answer 22

small toy and terrier breeds
coughing for at least 2 months
+/- crackles on auscultation
+/- tachypnoea, dyspnoea, exercise intolerance
+/- pyrexia, lethargy, inappetance
bronchoscopic diagnosis
bronchopneumonia complication
eventual respiratory failure(fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension)

Question 23

Management of dogs with chronic bronchitis

Answer 23

Avoid obesity
No collar, wear harness
Corticosteroids- oral, inhaled
Bronchodilators- oral, inhaled
Antibacterial therapy (intermittent)
Mucolytics
Nebulisation
Rest and exercise control
Control of environmental pollutants
Physiotherapy
Antitussives, esp. if concurrent tracheal collapse

Question 24

A coughing dog with tachypnoea and dyspnoea has its blood test show high levels of eosinophils what does this suggest?

Answer 24

Allergic pulmonary disease

Question 25

T/F Parasites can cause Allergic pulmonary disease in dogs

Answer 25

True!

Question 26

Chronic management of allergic pulmonary disease

Answer 26

Fenbendazole (anthelmintic) Environmental management Corticosteroids – oral, inhaled-gradually taper Harness Control obesity Other Immunosuppressive therapies

Question 27

Acute Treatment of allergic pulmonary disease

Answer 27

Oxygen, cage rest Corticosteroids – but may interfere with diagnostic tests

Question 28

Examples of parasites that can cause coughing in dogs

Answer 28

Oslerus osleri - dam to offspring transmission Crenosoma vulpis - intermediate host (mollusc), fox faeces Angiostrongylus vasorum - intermediate host (mollusc) Capillaria aerophilia (Eucoleus Aerophilus) - transmission faeco-oral, earthworm implicated Dirofilaria immitis - intermediate host mosquito

Question 29

Clinical presentation of a dog infected with parasites

Answer 29

Cough Dyspnoea if infection is widespread Peripheral eosinophilia Pulmonary hypertension may lead to right sided CHF in A. vasorum and D. immitis Clotting disorders reported with A. vasorum A. vasorum seen a lot in terriers Radiographic changes marked with A. vasorum

Question 30

Why must corticosterioids be given alongside anthelminthics

Answer 30

to prevent reaction to dying worms

Question 31

Names of drug to treat Oslerus osleri in dogs

Answer 31

Fenbendazole

Question 32

Names of drug to treat Crenosoma vulpis in dogs

Answer 32

Milbemycin, moxidectin oxime

Question 33

Names of drug to treat Angiostrongylus vasorum in dogs

Answer 33

Moxidectin oxime, fenbendazole

Question 34

Names of drug to treat Capillaria aerophilia (Eucoleus Aerophilus) in dogs

Answer 34

Fenbendazole

Question 35

Treatment for cardiac disease causing cough

Answer 35

Cardiac medications for congestive heart failure Antitussives – codeine, butorphanol Inhaled steroids if concurrent chronic airway disease

Question 36

Name two antitussives

Answer 36

codeine, butorphanol

Question 37

A cough that sounds like a “goose-honk”, “seal-bark” sound and aggravated by lead pulling is most probably caused by?

Answer 37

Tracheal Collapse

Question 38

How does the grading system work for trachea collapse

Answer 38

Grade 1-4 based on severity of collapse

Question 39

Acute management of tracheal collapse

Answer 39

Acetylpromazine Oxygen Cool environment Short acting corticosteroids Opioids (buprenorphine, butorphanol)

Question 40

Chronic management of tracheal collapse

Answer 40

Control obesity Use harness Environmental hygiene Avoid prolonged barking Avoid excessive excitement Avoid respiratory tract infections

Question 41

Acetylpromazine is what kind of drug

Answer 41

sedative and antiemetic

Question 42

Name the class of bronchodilators that will be useful in tracheal collapse

Answer 42

Methylxanthines Beta-adrenergic agonists-Terbutaline

Question 43

Halitosis and acute cough/choke is a indicator of what kind of coughing disease

Answer 43

Airway Foreign Body