VIN Cardiology

Question 1

Define Aortic Regurgitation

Question 2

List the vasoactive hormones and peripheral vascular alterations that occur in CHF

Answer 2

• Natriuretic peptides (ANP/BNP)
• Nitric oxide (NO)
• Prostaglandins (PGE1 + 2)
• Bradykinins
• Vasoconstrictive Hormones; Vasopressin (ADH) + Endothelin (ET-1)

Question 3

What are clinical signs of Dirofilaria immitis?

Answer 3

• RSCHF; coughing, exercise intolerance, syncope
• haematemesis
• failure to grow in young animals

Question 4

Explain the pros and cons of Antigen ELISAs in the diagnosis of canine heartworm?

Answer 4

Pros; high sensitivity and specificity, easy to perform
Cons;
- false negatives if early in disease, low/no females, Ag/Ab complexes.
- False positives if; angiostrongylus or spirocercalupi

Question 5

Outline the D1 treatment for Heartworm

Answer 5

• niramine
• prednisolone (0.5mg/kg BID)
• exercise restriction
• heartworm prophylactic

Question 6

Outline the first 4 weeks for heartworm treatment

Answer 6

• prednisolone
• 4wks of Doxycycline (targets Wolbachia *decreases pathology of Wolbachia release from dead worms

Question 7

Outline the melarsamine component of HW treatment?

Answer 7

• targets the worms
• commence on D60 of treatment (after doxy + preventatives)
• 2.5mg/kg on D60, D90 and D91