Lower Airway disease in small animals pt 2 Flashcards
Blastomycosis
- can affect what body systems
- Pulmonary infection is most common
- Can also affect:
- Lymph nodes (enlarged)
- Skin (draining tracts, wounds); nail beds
- Subcutaneous tissue (masses, wounds)
- Bone (fungal osteomyelitis)
- Eyes (uveitis, fundic abnormalities)
Fungal Pneumonia - common pathogens we see?
- Blastomyces spp. common in Ontario
- (esp Northern ON, cottage country)
<><><><> - Other fungal infections that affect lungs:
- Histoplasma capsulatum
- Coccidiodes immitis
Blastomycosis
- when does infection occur? how?
- Infection usually occurs after fungal spores are inhaled
- Or fungal spores invade a skin wound, etc
- Not contagious animal to animal
- May be disseminated through the body via blood
Diagnosing Blastomycosis? rule outs?
- Thoracic radiographs usually suggestive
- Nodular pattern
- Rule outs: Neoplasia (metastatic) a differential diagnosis
<><><><> - Definitive diagnosis requires visualization of the organism (cytology)
> Sample enlarged lymph nodes or cutaneous lesions first
> If only pulmonary involvement, need airway cytology
<><><><> - Blastomyces urine antigen EIA
> Highly sensitive and specific for infection
> May have utility in determining therapy duration
> Turn around time : 2 weeks
blastomycosis treatment, considerations
- Oral itraconazole
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Other treatment considerations: - Short-term anti-inflammatory corticosteroids (prednisone)
> Incases of high pulmonary fungal burden
> Massive fungal organism die-off leads to initial
worsening of pulmonary signs
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Long-term hepatoprotectants - S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) on empty stomach
> because out treatments can be damaging to the liver
blastomycosis monitoring, treatment duration
- Expect long-term treatment (~3 months)
- Skin wound resolved in 5 weeks
- Radiographs normalized in 8 weeks
- Continued itraconazole for 4 weeks after resolution radiographic signs (average of 4 months total of txt)
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Other monitoring option: - Continue itraconazole until urine antigen titer becomes negative
Blastomycosis: Prognosis
- Clinical improvement expected in 70-75% of dogs
- Treatment failure more likely in severely affected dogs, and multiple organ involvement
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Relapse can occur - Approximately 15% of cases will relapse
- Usually within the first 6 months, but can occur at any time
<><> - Management is expensive
Canine Chronic Bronchitis - what is it? diagnosis?
- Defined as daily (or almost daily) coughing for ≥ 2 months
- Excluding other differentials – heart disease, infections, tracheal collapse
<><> - Diagnostic per exclusion
- No signs of cardiac disease
- No signs of infectious disease
Canine Chronic Bronchitis
* Pathophysiology
- Inflammatory cells infiltrate airway mucosa
- Increase mucus production
- Loss of ciliated epithelial cells
- End result is narrowed airways, build-up of mucus
- Leads to coughing
Canine Chronic Bronchitis
* Etiology, associations
- Usually unknown
- May be associated with:
- Tracheal collapse
- Chronic airway irritation secondary to parasites or microaspiration
- Smoke
- Foreign body presence
- Left atrial enlargement
Clinical Features of Chronic Bronchitis
- who gets it?
- primary clinical signs?
- presentation?
- thoracic auscultation?
- Usually middle-aged to older dogs
- Small sized dogs may be more frequently
affected - Small breeds also predisposed to other reasons for cough including tracheal collapse and mitral valve disease
<><> - Primary clinical signs:
- Harsh cough, may be productive
<><> - Cough often elicited on tracheal palpation
- Wheezing accompanies cough
- May have exercise intolerance, dyspnea, collapse
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Thoracic auscultation: - Inspiratory crackles, wheezing may be detected
- Increased breath sounds
Diagnosing Chronic Bronchitis, primary rule outs? how to make a preseumptive diagnosis?
Rule out:
* Heartworm (Antigen test)
* Lungworm (Baermann fecal test)
* Heart disease (radiographs; echocardiography may be indicated)
* Usually no changes on CBC/profile
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Radiographs
* +/- Bronchial pattern
* Nonspecific! also present in normal older dogs
* Normal radiographs
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Presumptive diagnosis can be made in some cases based on:
* Consistent history
* PE findings
* Radiographs
* Response to empirical therapy
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* Swallowing studies can be done
Diagnosis of Bronchitis - how to make a definitive diagnosis?
Definitive diagnosis requires direct visualization of airways
* Bronchoscopy
* Collect samples for cytology & culture
* Hyperemic airways, mucus
* Cytology – non-degenerate neutrophils,
eosinophils, mucus
* Culture usually negative
NT-proBNP assay for chronic bronchitis in dogs
- Elevated in some dogs with cardiac disease
<><> - Caution – some dogs may have asymptomatic cardiac disease and concurrent bronchitis
- Cough due to bronchitis but presence of cardiac disease may cause elevated BNP
ASPIRATION RELATED UPPER AIRWAY Diseases
* Tests, what they are for?
* Alternative to further investigation
Tests:
* Videofluoroscopy > Laryngeal dysfunction or paresis
* CT-scanner > Thickened soft palate
* Tracheoscopy > Hyperemia of the trachea
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Alternative to further investigation:
* Proton-pump inhibitor: omeprazole 1mg/kg BID
