Introduction Flashcards
Physiological
Normal cell/tissue/organ function
Pathological
abnormal cell/tissue/organ function
Clinical sign
Abnormality of structure or function; can be observed by the veterinarian/client. Synonymous to “symptom”
Disease
A recognized abnormal structure or function with a defined set of recognizable clinical signs
Etiology
The cause of the disease (e.g., toxins, genetic mutation, infection…)
Signalment in disease
The population most likely to be affected or most at-risk. For example: parvovirus enteritis is a disease found in unvaccinated dogs less than 1 year of age and more commonly in black and tan breeds; canine mammary neoplasia is most commonly found in intact older females.
Local system affected
Diseases that are local affect a specific organ (e.g., liver failure), part of the body (e.g., wounds), system (e.g., GI tract).
Disseminated
When a local disease has spread elsewhere
Systemic
The disease affects a number of organs/tissues or whole body
Asymptomatic
The patient is affected, but does not appear to be
Subclinical disease
Disease state that is lacking in detectable signs and symptoms on physical exam (i.e., there are no outward signs of disease); however, disease can be detected by either of the following:
i. Decreased production and/or function (e.g., decreased overall milk production; decreased rate of gain; lower reproduction rates over time)
ii. Abnormals on diagnostic testing (radiographic, chemical, haematological, immunological,…)
Clinical disease; symptomatic disease
Disease with recognizable signs and symptoms. Clinical diseases are also described using words such as: mild, moderate, severe.
Peracute
A few hours only from start to finish; tend to be most severe (usually fatal)
Acute
Days to a couple weeks from start to finish
Subacute
Somewhere between acute and chronic
Chronic
Weeks, months, years; usually less severe than acute
Relapse
Clinical symptoms are present
Remission
When clinical signs are absent
Congenital disease
are present from the time of birth. In other words, the disease process affected the embryo or fetus while in the uterus. Congenital diseases can be further classifies as either inherited or non-inherited
Inherited congenital disease
Familial inheritance of a genetic condition from the father and/or mother.
Non-inherited congenital disease
Damage to the embryo or fetus can also occur due to infection (bacteria, virus, fungi), trauma, lack of blood flow, exposure to heat, radiation, toxins. Any agent or factor that causes harm to the embryo/fetus is referred to as a TERATOGEN. The pathological process that results is called teratogenesis
Acquired diseases
Occur after birth due to an external factor
Intrinsic disease
start from within the patient; there is no outside influence
Degenerative disease
Diseases that occur over time and are related to the natural wear-and-tear that occurs with the aging process.
Extrinsic disease
Caused by something outside of the patient
Iatrogenic
Refers to diseases that are caused during medical examination or as a side-effect of medical treatment.
Idiopathic
Means of unknown origin or self-originating and self-sustaining
Degenerative
Age related, natural decline
Developmental
Many inherited disease
Anomalies
inherited defects present at birth
Autoimmune
Immune system attacks itself
Allergy/asthma
Immune system attacks targets that are innocuous
Metabolic
Ketoacidosis in dairy cattle, post-parturient hypocalcemia (Milk Fever) in dairy cattle, diabetic ketoacidosis, lactic acid build-up. Also includes most of the endocrine diseases
Mechanical
Fractures, cuts, wounds, crush injury, hip dysplasia, disk disease, dislocation
Mental
behavioural
Nutritional
Caloric deficiency (malnutrition), obesity, nutritional deficiencies and nutritional imbalances
Neoplastic
Uncontrolled growths. Can be benign or malignant (cancer). Can be local or metastatic (having spread).
Inflammatory
Damage to the tissues caused by non-specific inflammation. Usually occurs when the immune system has been activated
Teratogenic
Due to exposure while in the uterus
Vascular
Disorders of the blood vessels, blood volume (anemia), body fluid volume (including dehydration), hypotension, hypertension, shock; any cause of lack of blood flow, delivery of oxygen/nutrients; bleeding
Reportable disease characteristics
- High mortality or morbidity (often no treatment)
- High risk of transmission between animals
- Economic importance
- Zoonosis
- Disease not currently in Canada
- Emerging (newly evolving) diseases
Preventative treatment
Giving a treatment that is intended to prevent a disease from
occurring.
Medical managment
Using a combination of pharmacological drugs, fluids, nutritional management, pain control, physical therapy to treat a condition. There is no surgery involved.
Surgical management
Using surgery as the primary method to treat a condition. Surgical management does not exclude the use of medications, fluids, nutritional management, physical therapy.
Empirical treatment
Treating without a known diagnosis; based on “best guess” due to lack of supporting evidence. Patient’s response to treatment is used to help the veterinarian determine what the actual diagnosis is. If treatment improves patient outcome, this adds to the body of evidence about the likely diagnosis. Can have very poor outcome if treatment choice is incorrect
Symptomatic treatment
This can involve medical or surgical management. However, symptomatic treatment is only concerned with addressing specific clinical signs or problems and does not address the underlying cause of the disease. An example would be treating dehydration using fluids in a dog with viral diarrhea; the fluids will correct the dehydration but not address the presence of the virus that is infecting the intestines. In certain cases where there is no actual diagnosis, we may only be able to treat the symptoms and not can’t address the cause of disease
Good prognosis
> 80%
Excellent prognosis
> 90%
Fair
> 70%
Guarded
60%
Poor
50% or less
100% prognosis
cure
90% prognosis
an excellent chance of returning to prior state of health
> 60% prognosis
More likely to survive than to die; will likely have lasting effects
