Diarrhoea Flashcards
Define diarrhoea
Increased volume, frequency or fluidity of faeces
Define Melaena
dark, tarry faeces
Define Dyschezia
Difficulty or painful defecation
Define Haematochezia
Fresh blood in stool
Define Tenesmus
Ineffectual straining
What is the time period of acute to chronic diarrhoea? How would you treat them differently?
More than 3 weeks - Acute treat symptoms, Chronic investigation
In small animals, what are the major indicators that it is diarrhoea of the small intestine?
Volume - weight loss - general condition
In small animals, what are the major indicators that it is diarrhoea of the large intestine?
Mucous - frequency - tenesmus - dyschezia
What are the differential diagnosis of a small animal with acute small intestinal diarrhoea with systemic signs?
Bacterial (salmonella, campylobacter) - Viral (dystemper, parvovirosis, panleukopenia) - Toxins - Haemorrhagic gastroenteritis - Acute panreatitis
What are the differential diagnosis of a small animal with acute large intestinal diarrhoea?
Whipworms - Clostridia - Giardia - Campylobacter
What are the 6 investigations that can be carried out to investigate chronic diarrhoea?
1- Faecal exam (bacteria and parasites)
2- Haematology/Biochemistry (renal and hepatic failure)
3- Serum tests (pancreas function)
4- Abdominal ultrasound (lesion)
5- Elimination diet
6- Biopsies (endoscopy/exploratory laparotomy)
Which is a more preferable biopsy, endoscopy or exploratory laparotomy?
Endoscopy - less invasive, direct visualisation of mucosa, less expensive, lower mortality
What is the most common chronic enteropathy in dogs? What is the treatment?
Infectious Bowel Disease (IBD) - Elimination diet
What are the three main factors involved in farm animal diarrhoea?
Pathogens - Calf factors (immunity, stress) - Environment and management
Name the pathogens that can cause diarrhoea in calves
E.coli - Rotavirus - Coronavirus - Cryptosporidium - Salmonella - Coccidiosis
What strains of E. coli cause enteric disease? Where does it colonise?
ETEC (enterotoxigenic) - small intestine
What two factors does an ETEC E.coli require to be pathogenic?
Adhesive fimbrae (O and K antigens) - Enterotoxin (heat labile and heat stable)
Describe how the a) labile (LT) and b) stable (ST) enterotoxins produced by ETEC E.coli work
a) attaches to brush border, converting Gs to Gs-ADP-R, increase of cAMP, increase Cl- production, loss of Na+ and water
b) raises intracellular guanylate cyclase (short lived toxic action)
What E. coli strain is zoonotic? What does it pass from?
STEC - from calves meat
Calves affected by _____ are 1-3 weeks old, it has a high _______ but low ______. It affects the ______ and ______
Rotavirus - Morbidity - Mortality - Duodenum and Jejunum
Coronavirus affects the ____, _____ and ____ of slightly older calves
Ileum - Caecum - Colon
_____ is an important enteric bacteria in zoonotic disease. It causes ____ illness and _____
Salmonella - Systemic - Pyrexia
In older weaned calves ______ may give _____ stained faeces
Coccidiosis - Blood
What are the causes of diarrhoea in growing cows?
Endoparasites - Rumen acidosis - Salmonella - Nutritional problems - Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus (BVDV rarely causes diarrhoea)
What normally causes diarrhoea in adult cows?
Johne’s Disease (MAP) - Sub Acute Rumen Acidosis (SARA) - Salmonella - Nutritional problems (eg winter dysentry)
What causes Johne’s Disease? Why is it significant for cattle and humans?
Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) - Untreatable so have to be culled - May be involved in Crohn’s disease (zoonosis)
What procedures can control the spread of MAP?
Keeping calves separate from infected adult species/ colostrum - Avoid pooled colostrum - Identify subclinical infected adults
Why is diagnosis of MAP difficult?
Low sensitivity but high specificity (only positive result is reliable)
