Laboratory Procedures Flashcards
Diabetes mellitus
common endocrine problem in dogs and cats caused by inadequate insulin production or peripheral insulin resistance
Two types of Diabetes:
- Type I - pancreas is no longer producing insulin
* Type II - usually caused by insulin resistance (rare in the dog, more common in the cat)
Clinical signs of a Healthy Diabetic
o PU/PD (Polyuria and polydipsia)
o Polyphagia (increased appetite) and weight loss
o Recurrent infections
o Plantigrade stance from diabetic neuropathy (cats) o Cataracts (dogs)
Clinical signs in Severe Diabetic Ketoacidosis
o Anorexia o Vomiting o Weakness o Severe metabolicacidosis o Blood glucose > 500 mg/dl o May have previous history of the signs of a “healthy diabetic”
Diagnosis of Diabetes
Based on Clinical Signs and bloodwork/ UA
Can see hypoglycemia, glucosuria,
Humulin-R
o Short-acting regular insulin, used most often in cases of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)
Humulin-N, Vetsulin
o Intermediate-or longer-acting insulins, for maintenance therapy
Lantus (glargine)
“Peakless” insulin, approved and recommended for use in cats
Polycythemia
increased number of RBC
Rouleaux
RBC that form stacks
Agglutination
RBCs that form irregular clumps
Polychromasia
RBCs with blue or lilas tinge
Poikilocytosis
increased variation of RBC shape
Spherocytosis
cells that are spherical in shape with lost central pallor
Schistocyte
fragmented RBCs that are usually angular
Purple/ Lavender top tube
• Contains EDTA; It prevents coagulation by binding to calcium ions
• Cell constituents are stable for up to 24 hours in a purple-top tube.
• running a complete blood count (CBC), hematocrit/packed cell
volume, reticulocyte count, used for collecting fluid that may clot from body cavities in which cell counts need
to be performed.
Plain Red top tube
Glass tubes have no additive; plastic tubes have clot activators. Used in immunology and in most serologic tests such as chemistry panels.
Can also be used as a sterile tube for collecting samples for culture such as urine.
Tiger Top Tube
- Serum separator tubes
- Used for chemistry panels requiring a serum sample. (BUN, creatinine, ALT, ALP, triglycerides, cholesterol, electrolytes, etc.).
Light Blue Top Tube
• Contains Sodium citrate- binds calcium in the blood.
• Must be completely filled to recommended level.
• Check for coagulation disorders which may include testing of Prothrombin time (PT), Partial
Thromboplastin Time (PTT), Fibrin Degradation Products (FDP), D-dimer, von Willebrand Factor, and other factor and fibrinolysis assays.
Green Top Tube
- Plasma separator tubes (PST).
- contain heparin - heparin activates antithrombins, which block coagulation.
- Produces a whole blood/plasma sample and is used for collecting a plasma sample.
Grey Top Tubes
- Contain sodium fluoride, a glucose preservative, and some contain potassium oxalate.
- Used if an accurate glucose measurement is needed and sample processing will be delayed.
Toxocara Canis
Roundworm in cats and dogs;
• Zoonotic disease Ocular Larval Migrans
• Treated with piperazine, pyrantel, or fenbendazole
• Fecal-oral, trans-placental infection most common
• Live in the small intestine
Hookworms
- Most common: Ancylostoma caninum and Uncinaria stenocephala
- Zoonotic disease Cutaneous Larval Migrans, which occurs via skin penetration; in percutaneous infection
- Treated with fenbendazole, pyrantel
- Can cause hemorrhagic severe anemia
- Fecal-oral, transmammary, percutaneous infections
TRICHURIS VULPIS
- WHIPWORM
- Fecal-oral transmission
- Severe infection may lead to hyperkalemia and hyponatremia
- Large intestinal parasite
- Eggs have bipolar plugs on the ends
- Treated with fenbendazole
Nematodes
Roundworm, hookworms, whipworms
Cestodes
tapeworms
Dipylidium caninum
Tapeworm in dogs and cats; the eggs are contained within the segments (proglottids)
Praziquantel is the treatment of choice (Drontal and Profender)
Fasciola hepatica (trematode)
Liver fluke; the adults can be found in the hepatic bile ducts.
• Seen most commonly in cattle or sheep that have been grazing in endemic areas
• require a snail as an intermediate host; most common in areas of high rainfall or moist environments
• Treated most commonly with albendazole
Giardia
- Flagellated protozoan
- Fecal-oral transmission, often through contaminated water sources; causes watery diarrhea
- Potentially zoonotic
- Treated most often with fenbendazole (Panacur) or metronidazole (Flagyl)
- Cysts may be seen on a fecal flotation, but Giardia ELISA is the most sensitive test
Isospora
- Single celled-intestinal microscopic parasites
- Species-specific
- most common coccidian in dogs and cats
- Eimeria is most commonly in poultry/birds, rabbits
- Treated with Sulfadimethoxine (Albon)
- Eimeria stiedai - causes Hepatic coccidiosis in lagomorphs (rabbits)
- Seen on a fecal float or sometimes a direct smear
