Smallies 2 Flashcards
What gastric/oesophageal diseases require surgical management?
Foreign bodies (that can't be removed endoscopically) GDV Hiatal hernia Vascular ring anomaly Pyloric outflow obstruction
List general support of a GI patient
Oral fluids - small volumes frequently SC fluids - for mild dehydration Starve 24h/small volume liquid diets Bland, highly digestable food Anti-emetics +/- gastroprotectants
What are the benefits of enteral nutrition?
Supports mesenteric perfusion (include pancreas)
Provides trophic factors to repair and maintain intestinal mucosa
Helps normalise intestinal motility
How long does a cat need to be anorexic for to get metabolic consequences?
<4 days
What is cachexia?
Metabolic derangement - not ‘just’ severe weight loss
Catabolic loss of muscle
Have reduced energy intake with increased requirements
Pro-inflammatory state
How do you calculate resting energy requirement?
RER in kcal = 10 x BW in kg^(0.75)
or RER = (30 x BW in kg) + 70
What are risks of tempt feeding by hand?
Food aversion
Aspiration
Further weight loss
False sense of security
Name an appetite stimulant?
Mirtazapine
What types of feeding tubes are there?
Naso-oesophageal
Oesophagostomy
Gastrostomy
Which of the 3 feeding tubes require anaesthesia to place?
Oesophagostomy and Gastrostomy
What specialised equipment is required when placing the 3 types of feeding tubes?
None for naso-oesophageal and oesophagostomy
Flexible endoscopy for gastrostomy
How long do the 3 types of feeding tubes last?
Naso-oesophgeal - days
Oesophagostomy - days to weeks
Gastroscopy - weeks to months
What are possible complications of the 3 types of feeding tubes?
Naso-oesophageal - nasal irritation
Oesophagostomy - local cellulitis
Gastrostomy - peritonitis possible
Is home feeding possible with any of the 3 feeding tubes?
Yes - naso-oesophageal
Can animals still eat with an oesophageal tube in place?
Yes
What are the advantages and disadvantages of postural feeding?
Very important for oesophageal motility problems (using gravity)
But there is a risk of aspiration pneumonia (can lead to guarded prognosis)
Defin adverse food reactions
Any clinically abnormal response attributed to the ingestion of a food or food additive (can be an allergy or an intolerance)
Define food allergy reactions
An immunologically mediated adverse reaction to food unrelated to any physiologic response to a food or food additive
Define food intolerance reactions
An abnormal physiologic response to a food that is not believed to be immunologic in nature and may include food posioning, food idiosyncrasy, pharmacologic reaction or metabolic reaction
What do we usually select a therapeutic diet based on?
Previous diet history
Careful application of trial and error
Trial diets
Exclusion diets
How long shold an exclusion diet be used for?
Minimum of 2-8 weeks (if no improvement after 4 weeks, may need to reconsider)
What signs does a 5-6% dehydrated patient show?
Subtle loss of skin elasticity
What signs does a 6-8% dehydrated patient show?
Definite delay in return of skin to normal position (skin turgor), sligh increase in CRT, eyes may be slightly sunken into orbits
What signs does a 10-12% dehydrated patient show?
Extremely dry mm, complete loss of skin turgor, eyes sunken into orbits, dull eyes, possible signs of shock (tachycardia, cool extremities, rapid/weak pulses), posisble alterations of consciousness
What signs does a 12-15% dehydrated patient show?
Definite signs of shock, death is imminent
How can you calculate fluid deficit?
BW in kg x percent dehydration (as a decimal) = fluid deficit in ml
What are maintenance fluids?
The required volume needed per day to keep the patient in balance, with no chance in total body water
What is shock rate bolus of a colloid fluid?
10-20ml/kg for dogs
5-10ml/kg for cats
What is shock rate of a crystalloid solution?
80-90ml/kg for dogs
40-60ml/kg for cats
Compare pancreatic ducts in dogs and cats
Dogs:
- accessory duct is the largest
- pancreatic duct is more cranial and sits close to bile duct
- pancreatic ducts don’t join the bile duct before emptying in to the duodenum
Cats:
- usually only one pancreatic duct
- joins bile duct before entering the duodenum
- 20% of cats have a small accessory duct
What is pancreatitis?
Inflammation of the exocrine pancreas
What are features of acute pancreatitis?
Variable neutrophilic inflammation, oedema and necrosis
Severe necrosis
High mortality
Reversible
What are features of chronic pancreatitis?
Inflammation more likely to be mononuclear or mixed
Leads to fibrosis and acinar loss
Permanent and irreversible
Describe the pathophysiology if acute pancreatitis
- inappropriate early activation of trypsin (acinar cells)
- activation of zymogens
- autodigestion and severe inflammation
- pancreatic inflammation and fat necrosis
- gut wall involvement leading to bacterial translocation
- pro-inflammatory cytokines
- neutrophil and monocyte activation
- damage to endothelium
- tissue oedema and hypoxia (SIRS –> MODS)
- lung injury, acute injury, liver damage
What are risk factors for pancreatitis in dogs?
- Breed predispositions
- Obesity
- Sex predisposition (increased incidence with males or FN)
- Previous surgery (previous abdo surgery leading to a drop in BP –> poor perfusion)
- Drug treatment
- Endocrine dz - DM, hyperadrenocorticism
- Ischaemia - poor perfusion
What breed predispositions are related to pancreatitis in dogs?
- acute disease - terrier and cocker spaniel
- chronic disease - CKCS, boxers, cocker spaniels, collies
- Schnauzers
What are risk factors for pancreatitis in cats?
- no breed predispositions
- association with IBD +/- inflammatory liver disease
- chronic more likely than acute
- duodenal reflex
List non-specific signs of pancreatitis
Mild intermittent abdominal pain
Pain after eating
Anorexia
Weakness
What are common clinical signs of pancreatitis?
Vomiting
Cranial abdominal discomfort (praying posture)
What are physical exam findings with pancreatitis?
Hyperthermia Cranial abdominal pain (tachycardia/pnoea) Ascites Dehydration Icterus