Feline II Flashcards
This 2-year old domestic short haired cat presents for ocular pain and the changes seen in the photograph. The palpebral fissure of the left eye is larger than the right. What is the most likely diagnosis?
- Herpesvirus
- Anterior uveitis
- Glaucoma
- Chorioretinitis
Answer: Glaucoma
Explanation
The correct answer is glaucoma. Key features to note is that the eye is buphthalmic and painful. There is corneal edema present as is evident by the blue haze over the cornea. An appropriate next step would be to inspect the eye for aqueous flare and measure pressures.
A 10-year old female spayed calico has presented for further evaluation of a previously diagnosed mass in the neck region. The mass had been diagnosed as a thyroid adenocarcinoma and has now abscessed. Chest radiographs show a bronchial pattern with no obvious evidence of metastasis. Blood work shows a slightly decreased T3 and T4. Which of the following is a likely complication from this mass?
- Renal failure
- Horner’s syndrome
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
- Hypercalcemia
Answer: Horner’s syndrome
Explanation
The correct answer is Horner’s syndrome. This is likely as a result of direct disruption of the sympathetic trunk traveling along the neck. Any time there is a neck mass present, it is important to evaluate the patient for the possibility of Horner’s syndrome. Additionally, disruption of the recurrent laryngeal nerve should be considered as this will result in laryngeal paralysis.
Hypercalcemia of malignancy is always a possibility with any mass; however, it is not reported commonly with thyroid adenocarcinomas in cats.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can be a feature of hyperthyroidism, which is usually secondary to a thyroid adenoma. Based on this patient’s blood work, there is no evidence of hyperthyroidism.
Renal failure is not a reported complication.
Which of the following conditions frequently results in hypercalcemia in a cat?
- Administration of a fleet enema to a cat
- Intoxication with cholecalciferol based rodenticide
- Nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism
- Ethylene glycol toxicosis
Answer: Intoxication with cholecalciferol based rodenticide
Explanation
The correct answer is intoxication with cholecalciferol-based rodenticide. Cholecalciferol gets converted to active vitamin D to cause increased bone resorption of calcium and gut absorption of calcium leading to a sometimes fatal hypercalcemia. Nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism results when an animal’s diet contains too much phosphorus resulting in decreased serum calcium. Ethylene glycol also causes hypocalcemia due to chelation of calcium by metabolites of ethylene glycol such as oxalate. Fleet enemas are also high in phosphorus and lead to a decrease in serum calcium due to the law of mass action.
A 3-year-old male intact cat presents with a progressive history of coughing for the past 3 months. The cat lives indoors and outdoors and is not on any medications. Blood work shows a moderately elevated neutrophil count with a mild lymphopenia. Chest radiographs demonstrate a moderate bronchointerstitial pattern. The owners consented to a laryngeal exam, bronchoscopy, and a transtracheal wash. The image below is from the transtracheal wash. What is this organism and what is the treatment for it?
- Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and ivermectin
- Strongylus endentatus and fenbendazole
- Spirocerca lupi and ivermectin
- Toxocara cati and fenbendazole
Answer: Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and ivermectin
Explanation
The feline lungworm in cats is Aelurostrongylus abstrusus. Treatment with ivermectin and fenbendazole have been reported to be successful.
Toxocara cati is a roundworm (ascarid) in which cats become infected by ingesting larvated eggs.
The life cycle is complicated and involves migration through the liver and lungs.
Eventually the larvae come up the mucociliary apparatus and are then swallowed where they develop in the small intestine. Eggs can readily be found in the feces, while adults can be visualized within the small intestine. Clinical signs in the kittens include poor body condition and a pot-bellied appearance.
Vomiting may also be present. Diagnosis is best made via a fecal flotation and a transtracheal wash is unlikely to be as rewarding. Treatment options include selemectin, fenbendazole, pyrantel pamoate, milbemycine oxime, and moxidectin. It has been recommended that all kittens be dewormed beginning at 2 weeks of age until they are approximately 8 weeks old, at which point they should be transitioned to a heartworm preventative that is also effective against ascarids.
Strongylus edentatus is one of the large strongyles of horses found in the large intestines. Treatment includes ivermectin, moxidectin, pyrantel, and fenbendazole.
Spirocerca lupi is an esophageal worm found in dogs. They are found in the esophageal, aortic, and gastric walls of dogs that have eaten infected dung beetles, chickens, reptiles, or rodents. Chronic infection may cause neoplastic transformation of the surrounding tissues into sarcomas or rupture and life-threatening hemorrhage of the aorta.
Treatment is with ivermectin or doramectin.
Which of the following is not a common reason for a hyperthyroid cat to have a T4 value in the normal range?
- Immune destruction of the thyroid gland causing a decrease of T4 into the normal range
- Concurrent disease causing euthyroid sick syndrome
- Mild disease in which there are subtle clinical
signs and a T4 in the high normal range - Fluctuation of T4 early on in the disease
Answer: Immune destruction of the thyroid gland causing a decrease of T4 into the normal range
Explanation
The correct answer is immune destruction of the thyroid gland causing a decrease of T4 into the normal range. Immune destruction of the thyroid gland occurs in hypothyroid dogs but does not typically occur in cats. Euthyroid sick syndrome occurs when concurrent illness causes T4 to decrease from being high down into the normal range, or from the normal range to below normal.
Fluctuations of T4 down into the normal range can occur early on in the disease.
Occult hyperthyroidism occurs when the T4 is in the high normal range and the clinical signs are mild. In these pets, a free T4 by equilibrium dialysis can make the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism.
