Lecture 4 Flashcards
Nasal disease: clinical findings
- Sneezing (paroxysmal? sporadic? reverse?)
- Nasal discharge (symmetry? character? onset/duration? progression? inciting cause?)
- Stertor
- Pawing/rubbing face
- Masses/facial distortion
- Nasal planum ulceration
- Seizures, mentation changes
Nasal discharge: unilateral
Unitlateral:
- Neoplasia
- Tooth root abscess
- Foreign body
- Fungal
- Trauma
Nasal discharge: bilateral
Bilateral
- Inflammatory rhinitis
- Systemic disease (hypertension, coagulopathy)
- Neoplasia
- Fungal
- Viral
- Trauma
NOTE: if a tumor is close to the choanae, it can cause BILATERAL nasal discharge
Nasal Discharge - Serous/serosanguineous
Serous/serosanguineous
- HOW MAJORITY OF NASAL DISCHARGE STARTS
- Often associated w/: viral, allergic, or inflammatory rhinitis
- Sanguineous (bloody) usually indicates:
- Progressive
- Erosive
Nasal Discharge - Mucopurulent
Mucopurulent
- Usually indicates SECONDARY bacterial infection
- Primary nasal bacterial infections = VERY RARE
Note: if you just give antibiotics for mucopurulent nasal discharge, you might not be able to clear infection - it may recur since it’s a secondary infection
Nasal Discharge - Hemorrhagic
Hemorrhagic (epistaxis)
- Severely errosive disease
- Neoplasia
- Aspergillosis
- SYSTEMIC disease
- Coagulopathy
- Inherited vs. acquired
- Rickettsial disease - Hypertension
- Coagulopathy
Physical Exam (really important)
- Visual exam of mouth/nose
- Facial symmetry? - Palpate bones/muscle
- Palate too if able - Ocular retropulsion
- Does one side retropulse 1/2 as far as other side?
…space occupying mass?! - Nasal patency
- Fundic exam
- Look esp. for fungus and neoplasia - Lymph node palpation
- Submandibular LN are most likely the first place a nasal infection will spread - Neurologic exam
- Cranial nerves
First-tier diagnostic testing
- CBC (& blood smear -> platelets)
- Cytology
- Nasal discharge
- LN/masses - Thoracic radiographs
- Check for metastasis/fungal infection - Coagulation profile (do a BMBT)
- If epistaxis
- Don’t just check platelet #’s, check platelet function - Blood pressure
- If epistaxis
Second - tier diagnostic testing
- Anesthetized oral exam
- Periodontal probe
- Dental rads - Nasal CT (nasal radiographs less useful)
- Rhinoscopy w/ biopsy
- bacterial/fungal cultures
- Cytology
If you do a blind biopsy of the nasal cavity, where should you measure your instruments to?
Measure instruments to MEDIAL CANTHUS of the eye.
Common Nasal Diseases - Dogs
- Lymphoplasmacytic Rhinitis*
- Aspergillosis*
- Neoplasia*
- Oral Disease
- Oronasal fistulae
- Tooth root abscess - Foreign bodies
- Coagulopathies
- Trauma
Common Nasal Diseases - Cats
- Viral rhinitis*
- Commonly secondary bacterial infection - Chronic rhinosinusitis*
- Cat version of lymphoplasmacytic rhinitis - Nasopharyngeal polyps*
- Neoplasia
- Carcinoma, lymphoma - Cryptococcosis
Lymphoplasmacytic Rhinitis
- Doliocephalics (Dachshunds and Whippets)
- Clinical signs:
- Chronic nasal discharge (often bilateral; may or may not be blood)
- Nasal congestion (stertor)
- Sneezing
- Nasal inflammation of unknown etiology (multifactorial?)
- ~ 1/3 of K9 disease referrals
- DIAGNOSIS OF EXCLUSION
- Definitive: nasal biopsy, rule out infectious causes of inflammation w/ bacterial and fungal cultures
- Difficult to manage
- NOT GOING TO CURE
Lymphoplasmacytic Rhinitis: treatment
- Anti-inflammatories
- Glucocorticoids (systemic or inhaled) - minimal improvement anecdotally
- Immunomodulatory antibiotic and NSAID (doxycycline + piroxicam)
- Anti-histamines
- Itraconazole (anecdotal improvements in some humans)
- Treat secondary infections (controversial)
- Environmental modification
- Cigarette smoke
- Perfume/cleaners/air fresheners
- Litters
Fungal Rhinitis
Cryptococcus neoformans
- Cats
- Nasal, cutaneous (get skin cytology if you see any skin issues), CNS
- Typically causes a mutated nose!
- Dogs
- Disseminated disease more common (ie. skin, bone, CNS signs)
- Nasal disease frequently subclinical
NOTE: if there are skin issues, it is easier to diagnose a fungal infection thro skin issues than it is thro nasal sampling!