DL: Small Ruminant Stranguria

Question 1

What should be suspected if constipation/GIT problems reported in small ruminants

Answer 1

Bladder problems

Question 2

Hx taking questions for farm animals?

Answer 2

> management
- feeding (what and exactly how much) 
- age castrated
- living environment (kept with other animals?) 
- worming and vax
> medical Hx
- worming vax
- previous episodes of similar or different dz
- medical Tx given for current problem 
> current problems
- how long for / last seen normal? 
- progression 
- define uncomfortable 
- any other signs? 
- DUDE BAR

Question 3

What does lambivac protect against?

Answer 3

• Clostridium perfringens type C and D

- tetanus

Question 4

What causes pulpy kidney?

Answer 4

Clostridium perfringens type D

Question 5

Do pet goats and sheep need concentrates?

Answer 5

No just grass

Question 6

How do small ruminants display colic?

Answer 6

Stretched / parked out standing

- sometimes bloat

Question 7

What can be felt on digital rectal exam of small ruminants?

Answer 7

• shouldn’t be able to feel urethra (may feel pulsing or structure or uroliths)
• check feaces

Question 8

Normal TPR for small ruminants

Answer 8

• 80-100 bpm
• 10-20 rpm
• 37.2-39.5 temp
• horse 38.5

Question 9

Can you do cystocentesis on a small ruminant?

Answer 9

Alpaca and goats - very fragile bladder likely to rupture DO NOT ATTEMPT
- if referral not an option then must explain risks to owner

Question 10

Can you catheterise male pigs/goat/sheep/alpaca ?

Answer 10

No d/t sigmoid flexure

Question 11

What is vagal indigestion - causes?

Answer 11

> causes 
- obstruction 
- infection/inflammation
- toxins 
- metabolic 
> look up vagal a indigestion

Question 12

Should the prepuce be dry or wet?

Answer 12

Should be moist

Question 13

What may cause tachycardia, tachypnoea in small ruminants

Answer 13

• pain
• stress
• hypovolaemia
• dehydration

Question 14

Ddx for urinary obstruction in small ruminants

Answer 14

• urolithiasis

- pizzle rot (corynebacterium renale)

Question 15

Can you see metal on ultrasound?

Answer 15

No

• black fluid
• White gas with shadow

Question 16

How should the normal bladder appear on ultrasound?

Answer 16

Should have crenated edges and sitting like a slumped sack

- if rounded and tight walled this is abnormal and voiding should have been initiated earlier

Question 17

How do calcium carbonate stones appear on rads?

Answer 17

Radiopaque ball bearings

Question 18

How does early castration affect the urinary tract

Answer 18

• poor development of urethra -> thin and narrow

- ^ risk of persistent frenulum

Question 19

How does acidosis cause hyperkalaemia?

Answer 19

• K+ stored in cells
• if acidotic H+ moved in to cells to be converted by carbonic anhydrase to CO2 and H2O using bicarbonate
• as H+ moved into cells K+ moved out to balance charges

Question 20

Is renal disease common in large animals?

Answer 20

Very very very very rare

- usually pre, maybe post

Question 21

Is it easy to extrude farm animal penis?

Answer 21

Almost impossible

Question 22

What is the most common type of uroliths in large animals? Cause?

Answer 22

> struvite (Mg, Ph)
- can be calcium carbonate/phosphate in hard water areas
(Combines with protein in the urine)

Question 23

PDF for uroliths in farm animals?

Answer 23

• feedlot animals being fattened (lambs and steers)
• early castration (testosterone makes urethral big)
• ^ protein diet (eg. Alfalfa abroard)
• dehydration (frozen water or sick animals)
• UTIs

Question 24

Tx urolithiasis

Answer 24

> surgical if obstruction (not medical)

• salvage (perineal urethrostomy for slaughter animals, tube cystotomy for pets leave in for 2w, clamp urethra for 12hrs to test efctiveness)
• not long term solutions

Question 25

Medical Tx if buying time before PTS

Answer 25

• not a2s (^ urine production)
• buscopan (but short acting)
• diazepam
• ACP
• NSAIDS
• BS Abx
• fluids only once tube in place and functioning
  > +- calcium gluconate, sodium bicarb, 59% dextrose and insulin for hyperkalaemia
  > correcting underlying problems will sort pH out
• urine acidification (ammonium chloride v unpalatable but good for struvite, anconic salt)

Question 26

Prophylaxis for urolithiasis in farm animals

Answer 26

• ^ fibre diet
• v protein /concentrates
• castrate older
• water supply (rain eat or water softener)
• DCAB acidifying diet (used for cattle ph change)

Question 27

What is ADR?

Answer 27

Ain’t doing right