SA Acute Gastroenteric Disease Flashcards
Most acute vomiting and diarrhoea is ..?
Self limiting
Most chronic diarrhoea requires…?
A specific diagnosis before treatment
What are the categories of acute vomiting and diarrhoea?
- Non-fatal / self-limiting e.g. parasitism
- 2° to extra-intestinal / systemic disease
- Severe potentially life-threatening
- Secondary to other organs
What are some examples of severe potentially life threatening causes of V&D?
- Enteric infection
- AHDS/HE – acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome/haemorrhagic gastroenteritis
- Intestinal obstruction
Name some examples of surgical disease that can cause V&D
- Intussusception
- Volvulus
- Incarceration
- Stricture/partial obstruction
- Foreign body
N.B. Vomiting is the major sign
What is the most important part of care/treatment in a patient with V&D?
Prevention of dehydration
How much of the daily fluid volume that enters the gut is absorbed by the gut?
98%
So 2% is lost in faecal water
What decisions need to be made when presented with a V&D patient
- Is intensive emergency treatment needed (fluid/ electrolyte, acid/base) ?
- Is there an underlying non-enteric cause ?
- Is surgical management needed ?
- Is hospitalisation needed ?
- Is an infectious cause likely ?
- Is non-specific treatment sufficient ?
What are the clinical signs of V&D
- Vomiting ± abdominal pain
- Profuse diarrhoea
- Mucoid diarrhoea + tenesmus
Describe the features of diarrhoea that would localise it to the SI
- Large volumes
- Normal to mild increase in frequency of defaecation
- No tenesmus
- No blood or mucus
- Weight loss occurs with time
Describe the features of diarrhoea that would localise it to the LI
- Normal to increased volume
- Frequent defaecation
- Tenesmus present
- Blood/mucus seen
- Weight loss not usually seen
Describe the features of acute gastritis
- Acute onset of frequent vomiting
- Often associated with acute diarrhoea
- Very common
- But often self-limiting
What are some causes of acute gastritis?
Many causes; not all ‘inflammatory’:
- Dietary indiscretions, garbage intoxication
- Foreign material
- Hairballs (bezoars) in cats
- Certain drugs
- Acute systemic disease
An acute onset of profuse diarrhoea is a sign of?
Acute enteritis
What are the causes of acute enteritis?
Aetiology often obscure
Usually self-limiting
Dietary indiscretions, garbage intoxication
Enteric infection
Define Tenesmus
Excessive straining even if the bowel is empty
Acute colitis is rare and common in which spp?
Fairly common in dog; rare in cat
What are the causes of acute colitis?
- Idiopathic
- Garbage ingestion
- Whipworms
- Protozoa (Giardia, Cryptosporidium etc)
Describe the steps in making a diagnosis
- History
- Physical exam
- Biochemistry testing
- Imaging
- Response to symptomatic treatment
- Reassess if signs persist for more than 48 hours
What information should be gathered in the history of a dogs with V&D?
- Age and vaccination status
- Recent dietary intake
- Exposure to toxins, f.b. or infectious disease
- Nature of signs