Miscellaneous Diseases Flashcards
Describe Toxoplasma gondii in cats.
Cats definitive hosts with rarely showing clinical disease. Can see fever, loss of appetite, and lethargy, especially in immune deficient cats like those with FIV and FeLV.
How is T. gondii spread?
Transplacentally, ingestion of an intermediate host or sporulated oocyst (undercooked meat, cleaning litter box)
Describe the lifecycle of T. gondii.
Unsporulated oocysts shed in cat’s feces. Spread for 1-3 weeks in large numbers. Oocysts take 1-5 days to sporulate in environment and become infective. Intermediate hosts become infected by ingesting contaminated material. Oocysts transform into tachyzoites that localize in neural and muscle tissue and develop into tissue cyst bradyzoites. Cat’s infected by consuming bradyzoites
What agent causes cat scratch disease. Describe the condition.
Bartonella henselae. Transmitted via bites, scratches, or fleas. Presents with enlarged ln, papule or pustule at inoculation site, and fever and lethargy.
What agent causes dermatophytosis in cats?
Microsporum canis
What cat compounds are potent allergens?
Saliva and urine
What age of animals does hyperthyroidism affect? What type of tumors are typically the cause?
Middle aged to senior cats
97% adenomas, 3% adenocarcinomas
What are the clinical signs of hyperthyroidism?
Weight loss, polyphagia, PU/PD, increased activity, vomiting, diarrhea, unkempt coat
What treatments are available for hyperthyroidism?
Diet: Limit dietary iodine
Med: Methimazole PO or transdermal. Fisk of facial excoriations.
Surgery: Thyroidectomy, L-thyroxine supplement post-op. Risk of damage to parathyroids
I-131: Radioactive destruction with 4-5 day isolation
What are complications of hyperthyroidism?
Masked chronic kidney disease, hypertension with end organ damage, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
What type of diabetes mellitus do cats develop? What animals are most likely to develop disease?
Type II, with partial destruction of the beta cells of the pancreas resulting in decreased insulin production.
Middle aged to senior animals, obese. Males>females
What are the clinical signs of diabetes in cats?
PU/PD, weight loss, diabetic neuropathy, UTIs
How is diabetes diagnosed?
Fructosamine to confirm after an elevated glucose
What complications does diabetes predispose to?
Diabetic ketoacidosis, hypoglycemia, pyelonephritis.
What cat appearance is correlated with deafness?
Blue eyes, white fur
What can a tail pull injury result in?
Urinary and fecal incontinence.
What is the likely cause of feline lower urinary tract disease?
Young, male - FIC, crystals, mucus
Female, older - UTI, stones, neoplasia
What are the signs of FLUTD?
Stranguria, dysuria, pollakiuria, hematuria, vocalizing
Large firm bladder with bradycardia, vomiting
Why are blocked cats bradycardic? How is this treated?
Hyperkalemia. Treat with calcium gluconate.
What is the most common cardiac disease of cats? Describe.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, likely genetic. Often no clinical signs or a murmur/gallop rhythm.
Complications: CHF, fluid overload, aortic thromboembolism
How does feline asthma present? How is it treated?
Coughing and expiratory effort, with expiratory sounds and fine crackles on auscultation. Bronchial pattern on chest rads.
Treat with torb, albuterol, and systemic immunosuppresion for acute resp distress
How is IBD/small cell lymphoma likely to present? Treatment?
Anorexia, intermittent vomiting and diarrhea, and weight loss. Thickened, rope like intestine with thickening of muscularis layer on U/S. Need aspirate/biopsy to confirm which condition. Treatment is the same, but SCL requires higher immunosuppressive doses.
May need to supplement B12/folate.
How does large cell lymphoma differ from small cell lymphoma?
Similar clinical presentation, but mass like appearance on U/S with a poor prognosis.
Where are SCC commonly found in cats? What is the prognosis?
Oral cavity. MST 2-5 months.
What is the cause of injection site sarcomas?
FeLV and rabies vaccines, although any SQ substance could trigger inflammation and lead to a sarcoma.
What is feline lung digit syndrome?
Primary lung tumors that met to the digits. Often see digit masses/necrosis prior to resp signs. Grave prognosis - 58 days.
