Diseases of the Hepatobiliary System p843-872 Flashcards
When is abx therapy indicated in liver failure?
When cholelithiasis, cholangitis and cholangiohepatitis are present, as well as liver dysfunction caused as a secondary problem to sepsis.
In animals with hepatoencephalopathy, what drugs should be avoided and why?
Diazepam and other benzodiazepines, due to their ability to ENHANCE GABA on inhibitory neurons, thus ability to worsen HE. Sedation, when necessary in these animals, should be done with small amounts of alpha2-agonists.
Why is a low protein/high starch diet, with a high BCAA/AAA ratio important in animals with hepatoencephalopathy?
During hepatic dysfunction, the hepatic metabolism of aromatic amino acids (AAA) is reduced and accumulation occurs. AAA can mimic neurotransmitters, aggravating signs of HE. Branched chain amino acids (BCAA) are metabolized by adipose and muscle.
This drug aims to reduce intestinal ammonia absorption by suppressing enteric ammonia production. It is more nephrotoxic than a cousin drug and can be irritating to the intestinal mucosa. It’s used at 10-30 mg/kg PO q6-12hr
A) Lactulose
B) Neomycin
C) Metronidazole
B) Neomycin
This drug is used for limiting intestinal ammonia absorption. It is used at 0.2-0.5 mL/kg PO, q6-8hr. It works by being poorly absorbed by the SI, creating an acidic environment and a gradient for ammonia to migrate from the blood stream to the large colon. Here it is trapped and expelled.
A) Lactulose
B) Neomycin
C) Metronidazole
A) Lactulose
This drug at 10-15 mg/kg, q12h, can be used in conjunction with acetic acid (0.5 mL/kg, PO q12h) and mineral oil, for limiting intestinal ammonia absorption. This drug is metabolized by the liver and signs of toxicity can mimic hepaticencephalopathy.
A) Lactulose
B) Neomycin
C) Metronidazole
C) Metronidazole
What is the purpose of Vit E (10,000 U PO, q24h) and pentoxifylline (8-10 mg/kg PO q12hr) in hepaticencephalopathy?
Vit E acts an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Pentoxifylline works as a nonselective phosphodiesterase inhibitor, providing weak inhibition of inflamm cytokines TNF-alpha and IL-6. It also decreases RBC deformability, possibly preventing microthrombosis.
This drug is given at 20 mg/kg, PO q24h and can be given in cases of hepaticencephalopathy due to reduced endogenous production. This drug augments glutathione synthase levels in the hepatocyte, stabilization of membrane function, modification of cytokine expression and inhibition of apoptosis in normal cells.
A) DMSO
B) N-acetylcystein (NAC)
C) S-adenoslymethionine (SAMe)
C) S-adenoslymethionine (SAMe)
This drug may act as an antioxidant and can aid in dissolving intrabiliary sludge or small calcium bilirubinate stones. Can cause hemolytic crisis in those with already fragile RBCs.
A) DMSO
B) N-acetylcysteine (NAC)
C) S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe)
A) DMSO
This drug is though to be cytoprotective, improve hepatic microcirculation and oxygen delivery, enhance hepatic metabolic functions by restoring glutathione levels, block TNF-alpha release and act a free radical scavenger. Typically dosed at 70 mg/kg IV, q6hr, for two days.
A) DMSO
B) N-acetylcysteine (NAC)
C) S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe)
B) N-acytelcysteine
I am a disease aka as enzootic hepatitis. I am transmitted by A) _____. I cause abortions in pregnant females and B) _____ in lambs, kids, and calves. My mortality rate in adults is C) < or > in young animals. On necropsy, I will have caused hepatomegaly and hemorrhage, with histopath showing eosinophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies. The state and federal regulatory veterinarian D) does or does not need to be called.
A) Mosquitos
B) Fever
C) Lower, a lot lower; in younger approaches 100%, in adults 20-30%
D) DOES NEED TO BE CONTACTED
Telangiectasia is known as “sawdust livers” in the slaughter houses. What histopath changes are seen and what clinical signs are caused by this disease?
Telangiectasia is a focal degeneration of liver lobular ciruclation, with red-brown foci. Causing about 10% of condemnations, this disease has no clinical signs. Proposed pathogenesis is necrotizing hepatitis, ischemia induced by imboli, Vit E-selenium deficicency, immune mediated or reduced density of the reticulin framework.
What causes the classic “nutmeg” liver?
Congestion of blood in the sinusoids and central veins.
This equine disease causes abortion. The fetus can have hepatocyte necrosis with acidophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies in more than 50% of the hepatocytes.
Equine herpes virus
The following characteristics are that of flow-limited drugs or capacity-limited drugs?
- High hepatic excretion ratio
- Quick and efficient excretion
- Rate of elimination only limited by hepatic blood flow
- Morphine and lidocaine as examples
- Liver dysfunction causes increased bioavailability and decreased elimination
Flow-limited drugs
The following characteristics are that of flow-limited drugs or capacity-limited drugs?
- Low hepatic extraction ratio
- Slowly extracted by the liver
- Elimination is highly dependent on hepatocellular uptake and metabolism
- Effects on these drugs are variable
- Clearance seen to be increased with atenolol, decreased with diazepam and chloramphenicol
Capacity-limited drugs
What are the two phases of drug metabolism in the liver? What is the purpose?
- Oxidative phase
2. Glucuronidation These make the drugs water soluble and prepare them for excretion via the kidney
What is a common laboratory finding in large animals with hepatocellular neoplasias?
Erythrocytosis because of a paraneoplastic syndrome and increased production of erythropoietin.
What is hemochromatosis and how is it differentiated from hemosiderosis?
Hemochromatosis is a disorder caused by deposition of hemosiderin in the parenchymal cells.Hemosiderosis is iron accumulation in the reticuloendothelial cells, not the hepatocytes.
What breed of cattle is seen to be affected by hemochromatosis? What is the inheritance pattern?
Salers cattle pass on hemochromatosis through autosomal recessive. There is an inappropriate absorption of iron by the GI tract, with subsequent hepatic storage and overload, ultimately leading to loss of hepatic function.
When diagnosing hemochromatosis, what are normal liver iron concentrations in horses? In cattle?
In horses: 100-300 ppmIn cattle: 84-100 ppm
Histopath of the liver of an animal with hemochromatosis reveals what?
Iron deposits in the liver, brown pigment stains the hepatocytes and the Kupffer cells.
Biliary tract disease is rare in large animals. T/F
True.
Match the correct term with the definition.
Cholelithiasis
Choledocholithiasis
Hepatolithiasis
A) The most common cause of biliary obstruction in large animals, occurs more frequently in horses, stones found in the common bile duct
B) Biliary calculi located in either the bile ducts or gallbladder
C) Presence of calculi in the intrahepatic bile ducts above the right and left hepatic ducts
Cholelithiasis - B
Choledocholithiasis - A
Hepatolithiasis - C
A triad of these clinical signs cause suspicion of cholelithasis.
Recurrent abdominal pain, intermittent pyrexia and icterus
Hyperammonemic hepatic encephalopathy, photosensitization and weight loss are less common features.
Cholestasis should be suspected in the horse if more than 25-30% of the total bilirubin is
A) Indirect
B) Direct
B) Direct
What are some ultrasonographic changes seen in animals with cholelithiasis?
Hepatomegaly, bile duct dilation, parallel channel sign (dilation of interhepatic biliary radicals adjacent to the portal vein), stones themselves, Cholelithiasis can accurately be diagnosed by US in at least 75% of horses if adequate scanning of the liver is obtained and bile duct dilation and choleliths are visualized.
Which of the following is incorrect regarding to treatment of cholelithiasis?
A) Broad-spectrum abx aimed at gram (+) enteric bacteria or anaerobes
B) Continuation of abx 6 weeks past time when GGT values return to normal
C) DMSO for aid in dissolving intrabiliary sludge or small calcium bilirubinate stones
D) Fluid therapy to thin secretions and promote bile flow
A) Broad spectrum abx should be aimed at Gram (-) bacteria. IV abx great, and then switch to orals. Chloramphenicol great choice in horses, due to good spectrum against most bacteria, BUT metabolized by liver. If hepatic function is NO BUENO, DO NOT USE.
Which of the following describes the animal MOST likely to develop hepatic lipidosis?
A. Late, dry, dairy cow, who is being slowly introduced to the lactation diet
B. BCS 4.5 beef cow that has had her calf and is on good quality pasture
C. Early lactation, high producing dairy cow that went through a long calving interval
D. BCS 3.0 beef cow, with twins, who has maintained an adequate appetite through the transition period
C. Early lactation, high producing dairy cow that went through a long calving interval
Breed differences: Dairy cattle seen to have fatty liver in the first 4 weeks after calving, while in beef cattle, this disease is seen in late lactation, overweight, well-fed cattle that have had a drop in feed (due to feed shortage, or in cattle that are so over-conditioned that they are unable to consume enough energy for themselves)
The primary PRE-partum risk factors for developing hepatic lipidosis are : BCS > 4.0, severe feed restrictions, feeding excess energy and long calving interval
The primary POST-partum risk factors for developing hepatic lipidosis are: concurrent diseases, anorexia or fasting, feed restriction, sudden feed changes
What are some concurrent disease that can be seen with hepatic lipidosis?
Metritis, displaced abomasum, retained fetal membranes, parturient paresis, mastitis
Ultrasound changes can be subjective, but what might indicate hepatic lipidosis?
ncreased echogenicity, brighter, liver may be larger and more rounded
What is the gold standard for diagnosing hepatic lipidosis? How are the results interpreted?
Liver biopsy is gold standard. Identifying fatty infiltration, by percentage of hepatocytes varies. In apparently health, high producing post-partum cattle, there will be a moderate amount of fat present in the liver. Once the fat is more than 34% wet weight, this correlates with signs of disease. This is determined by the tissue sample floating in distilled water with SG of 1.000. The liver, on necropsy, will appear to be swollen, with rounded edges, pale yellow in color and can flow. The fatty infiltrate occurs in the centrilobular and intermediate areas.
What is the basic pathogenesis behind hepatic lipidosis?
There is an overwhelming amount of triglycerides formed that that exceeds oxidation capacity and the formation and release of VLDLs into the periphery. Ruminants already have a poor ability to export excess lipids from he liver.
What are some management tools to prevent hepatic lipidosis from occurring?
Preventing over-conditioning of late lactation cattle, making sure the cattle are fed, but NOT OVERFED. Supplementation with cobalt, a Vit B12 precursor, can help provide precursors for gluconeogenesis. Treating cattle aggressively for the other concurrent diseases.
When does pregnancy toxemia occur in small ruminants?
This occurs 2-4 weeks prior to parturition. Seen in ewes that have more than one fetus and in does with 3-4 feti. The ewes can be seen to be overly fat.
What blood work changes are noted in small ruminant pregnancy toxemia?
Serum BHB is typically > 1 mmol/L. Ketonuria typically occurs before ketonemia.