Digestive Diagnosis

Question 1

Blood tests

Answer 1

CBC may detect infection, inflammation
Low white blood cells (bone marrow problem)
Anemia (low RBC count) can indicate long term disease or poor health)
Blood borne Parasites

Question 2

Chemistry Panel

Answer 2

Can detect liver disease, kidney disease, pancreatic disease
Looking for liver enzyme, kidney enzymes, protein levels, electrolyte/salt balance , glucose ect

Question 3

Urinalysis

Answer 3

Can detect some systematic diseases 
Typically run with CBC/chemistry panel 
Proteinuria - protein loss 
Glucosuria-diabetes or Fanconis 
Toxic exposure (certain crystals) 
Liver changes (certain crystals)

Question 4

Feces

Answer 4

Visual exam

Consistency, color, smell, presence of foreign material, parasites, blood, mucus

Question 5

Fecal float

Answer 5

Feces added to a salt solution of a specific gravity and eggs float to the top
Detects nematode parasite eggs
Most useful for puppy and kitten roundworms
Not useful for tapeworms or protozoa
Common to have false negatives, may deworm if negative

Question 6

Fecal wet mount

Answer 6

Fresh feces placed in drop of warm saline and examined under microscope
Good for protozoan parasites like Giardia/Coccidia

Question 7

Fecal smears

Answer 7

Very thin layer of feces placed on microscopic slide
Stained and examined under microscope
Good for detecting bacteria , WBC , occasional protozoan parasite

Question 8

Fecal cultures

Answer 8

Small samples sent to lab to grow up bacteria
Takes 2-7days
Can determine sensitivities to anti biotics as well

Question 9

Fecal SNAP tests

Answer 9

Parvo Virus

Giardia

Question 10

Fecal panels

Answer 10

Based on PCR methodology
Canine diarrhea includes= Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Salmonella, Clostridium, enterotoxin, coronavirus, parvovirus, canine distemper virus ,

Feline: tritrichomonas, giardia, cryptosporidium, toxoplasma, salmonella, clostridium enterotoxin, feline corona virus, feline panleukopenia virus

Question 11

Radiographs

Answer 11

Mouth , esophagus, liver stomach, intestines

Not useful for pancreas

Question 12

Dental radiographs

Answer 12

Require separate xray machine

Animal needs sedation / anesthetic

Question 13

Ultrasound

Answer 13

Useful for pancreas not as good for gas filled organs

Question 14

Endoscopy

Answer 14

Much of the intestinal tract can be examined with endoscope

Question 15

Laparoscopy

Answer 15

Abdomen can be examined with laparoscopy

Can see pancreas, liver, serosal(outer surface of intestines)

Question 16

MRI CT

Answer 16

Rarely used due to cost

Question 17

Exploratory laparotomy

Answer 17

Sometimes when diagnosed cannot be made following other less invasive tests, the abdomen is opened up to see if the problem can be found
Very difficult to estimate costs
May find inoperable problem
Veterinarian must always talk to client before this surgery

Question 18

Biopsies

Answer 18

Small piece of tissue surgically removed and examined by pathologist
Can be done via endoscopy , laparoscopy , exploratory laparotomy

Question 19

Specific blood tests

Answer 19

For pancreatic disease in dogs (SNAP cPL) and cat (SNAP fPL)
Depending on routine blood testing, may need specific blood tests for answers
Can be tears for less common diseases (exocrine pancreatic insufficiency EPI
Test for trypsin concentration in serum/blood
Can test for cobalmin (vitamin B12)
Folate and other parameters useful for assessing digestive tract
Pancreatic lipase test Either SNAP (in house) or sent off to lab.

Question 20

Conservative therapy

Answer 20

Not always a great option because there can be underlying issues that nobody can see if they treat it this way