Medicine Flashcards
What are the two main causes of regenerative anaemia ?
Blood loss (haemorrhage) and haemolysis
Why are feline reticulocytes different to canine reticulocytes? Why is this relevant to diagnosing anaemia?
Maturation is different, cats have both Aggregate and Punctate reticulocytes. Dogs just have aggregate, no further maturation to Punctate.
Fining Punctate reticulocytes is not indicative of anaemia, common in healthy cats. Finding aggregate reticulocytes in cats is far more indicative of anaemia.
What is the range of PCV values that cover mild to severe anaemia in cats and dogs?
Cats = 24-10% Dogs = 37-13%
Which clinical sign of anaemia is most difficult to spot in a cat compared to a dog?
Lethargy, weakness and exercise intolerance, as they are not walked.
How would PMR be altered in an anaemic patient?
Pulse = increased (compensate for reduced RBCs) and hyper dynamic. MM = pale, white pale is most indicative as some cats have pale pink membranes naturally RR= increased to ventilate lungs faster, more oxygen
Extra = murmurs in the heart on auscultation. Less viscous blood, more turbulence in the heart.
How would anaemia be investigated if suspected?
Physical examination (PMR) Haematology (PCV, MCV, Reticulocyte count, Blood smear (looking for evidence of regeneration to determine type))
Doxycycline is given to cats with FIA, why must it be followed with food? What kind of drug is it?
Very acidic tablet, can cause inflammation and oesophageal stricture if not followed by food. It’s an antibiotic
How does neonatal isoerythrolysis occur in cats?
Queen with type B blood giving birth to kittens with type A blood. Type A has ineffective antibodies to B, type B has very efficacious antibodies to A. Colostrum contains effective antibodies to kittens type A RBCs. Intravascular haemolysis.
What is a Primary haemostatic platelet plug?
An aggregate of platelets, connected by von willebrands factors, that plugs a hole in the vessel wall upon injury.
Define Primary Haemostasis
The reflex contraction of a blood vessel following injury, and the formation of the platelet plug.
Which breed of dog most commonly presents with Von Willebrand’s disease ?
Dobermans
What is cholestasis? How would it contribute to a bleeding disorder?
Obstruction of the bile duct, vitamin K deficiency. Just like rodenticide poisoning, clotting factors in the liver cannot be produced and so Haemostasis is dysfunctional.
Describe the differences in clinical signs between primary and secondary bleeding disorders
Primary: petechial bleeds (small), ecchymotic bleeds (large), prolonged bleeding on venepuncture, surface bleeding, prolonged bleeding from cuts, multiple sights
Secondary: deep cavity bleeds, haematomas, venepuncture ok, localised site of bleeding, delayed/re bleeding from cuts (starts to slow and clot, but then bleeds again)
What does an activated clotting time test in terms of clotting pathways? Can it be conducted in house?
Intrinsic and common pathways. Can be completed in house
Why would a Prothrombin Time (PT) be more effective than an Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT), at assessing if rodenticide has left the body?
Factor VII is vitamin K dependent clotting factor and has the shortest half life of all vitamin K dependent clotting factors. If rodenticide has gone, testing the extrinsic pathway (where factor VII works), will be the most sensitive. PT will be prolonged if factor VII is absent. Therefore, testing PT (and the extrinsic pathway) will prove the return of the factors sooner than a APTT (as this tests the intrinsic pathway)
How many platelets per high power field is considered normal when assessing a blood smear for thrombocytopenia ?
11-25 platelets
Which clotting factor is absent in patients with haemophilia A?
VIII
What is associated with RBCs that are hypochromic and microcytic ? What do these terms describe?
Hypochromic, pale. Microcytic, small. Associated with iron deficiency
What is hydronephrosis ? What would it be a result of?
Water retention in the kidneys, distending renal pelvis and calcyes. As a result of blocked ureta or urethra.
At which value of a patients urine specific gravity would indicate chronic renal insufficiency, in the presence of azotaemia ?
Dogs SG < 1.035
Cats SG < 1.045
Name 5 qualities of a diet designed for patients with CKD
Low in phosphorus, sodium, protein. High in energy (fat), palatable. Omega 3 PUFAs. Increased potassium and B vitamins. Increased ferment able fibre.
What are the 4 treatment goals of a patient with CKD?
Treat underlying disease, correct and maintain fluid balance, manage clinical signs and complications, delay progression of CKD (situations that could cause lasting damage)
Name the 10 clinical signs and complication that must be managed for a patient with CKD
Food, vomiting and nausea, inppetance anorexia, constipation, hyperphosphataemia, systemic hypertension, UTIs, Anaemia, secondary hyperparathyroidism, proteinuria
Why does CKD cause secondary hyperparathyroidism?
Increased phosphorus leads to increased parathyroid hormone being produced. This would normally increase phosphorus excretion, but in patients with CKD this does not happen due to insufficient no of functional nephrons. Phosphorus binds to calcium in the body, removing ca2+ from circulation. To compensate for decreased ca2+, bone is resorbed to release ca2+. Negative cycle, more PTH released. Treat by managing renal dx.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a fibre optic endoscope (fibre optic image)
Advs= portable, cheaper than video, wide range of sizes, satisfactory image Dis= honeycomb image, fragile, requires separate camera for video, difficult to rotate, smaller scopes have worse resolution.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a video-image scope?
Adv=excellent image, integrated video cycling via chip in end, eyepiece so vet away from patient, easier to rotate.
Dis = more expensive, not portable, smaller diameters not available