Small Animal Flashcards
What results due to decreased absorption of water or increased secretion within the intestinal lumen?
Diarrhea
What is the duration of acute vs. chronic diarrhea?
Acute = < 14 days
Chronic = >14 days, or intermittent diarrhea over weeks to months
If a patient is dehydrated, has abdominal pain, depressed, has melena or severe hematochezia, is it more likely a self-limiting or life threatening diarrhea?
Life threatening
A patient presents to your clinic for 4-day duration of diarrhea. There is increased frequency but decreased fecal volume, mucus present in feces, as well as frank blood (hematochezia). The owner occasionally describes tenesmus or dyschezia. Is this more likely small or large bowel diarrhea?
Large bowel diarrhea
A patient presents to your clinic for diarrhea for the last 3 days. The owner reports the patient doesn’t seem to be going more frequently, but there is an increased fecal volume and the stool is very dark. The patient is also vomiting and the owner has noted weight loss. Is this more likely small or large bowel diarrhea?
Small bowel diarrhea
What is the term for mixed bowel diarrhea in which there are signs of both small and large intestinal diarrhea?
Enterocolitis
What is the most common cause of acute diarrhea?
Diet - indiscretion, poor quality, intolerance, diet change, etc.
Is stress colitis usually a small or large bowel diarrhea?
Large bowel diarrhea
A 5-year-old FS Yorkie presents to your clinic for diarrhea for the last 2 days. The owner describes it as looking like “raspberry jam”. On physical exam, you note the patient is 8% dehydrated, HR and RR are elevated, CRT 2 seconds, and there is abdominal pain on palpation. On CBC, there is an increased PCV (>60%) with low-normal albumin. What is your top differential?
Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE)
What is your treatment plan for a patient with HGE?
Aggressive fluid therapy +/- antibiotics, and recommend bland diet for 3-5 days
If you are only using zinc sulfate fecal floats, how many negative results must you have to say the patient does not have Giardia?
3 negative tests
If you have a negative zinc sulfate fecal float and a negative direct saline smear, can you say the patient does not have Giardia?
Most likely
What is the treatment for giardia?
Fenbendazole or Metronidazole or combination of the 2
Why do we need to be careful with administration of Metronidazole to patients that have Giardia?
Have to give much higher dose than normal -> may start to see neurologic signs
Whipworm infection in dogs can result in acute or chronic small/large bowel diarrhea.
Large bowel diarrhea
Why might you not see whipworm eggs on a fecal float from one sample but you will see them from another sample from the same dog?
May be negative due to intermittent shedding
What is the treatment for whipworm infections in dogs?
Fenbendazole for 3 days, repeat in 3 weeks and again in 3 months
A dog had a negative fecal even though you suspected a whipworm infection. What are you going to do?
Empirical treatment
What is the treatment for canine parvovirus?
Supportive care -> fluids, electrolyte therapy, nutrition, antiemetics, antibiotics
Can the canine parvo fecal ELISA detect feline panleukopenia?
Yes
Although clostridium infections can be hard to diagnose, what is probably the best method?
Enterotoxin (CPE) ELISA; although presumptive diagnosis most often made based on acute, hemorrhagic diarrhea
What antibiotics can you use for treatment of Clostridium infections? 3 answers.
Amoxicillin, Metronidazole, or Tylosin (reserved for chronic cases)
What antibiotics can you use for treatment of Campylobacter? 2 answers.
Erythromycin or Enrofloxacin
What is the name of the antidiarrheal medication that can be given to dogs with acute diarrhea but is reserved for only if the patient needs symptomatic relief from intractable diarrhea?
Loperamide
