Weight Loss, Abdominal Pain, and Effusions

Question 1

What is the definition of weight loss?

Answer 1

Loss of body condition due to loss of fat

Question 2

What are the two other conditions that can be mistaken for weight loss?

Answer 2

Muscle atrophy

Caloric intake is insufficient

Question 3

What should you distinguish when investigation weight loss due to decreased appetite?

Answer 3

The patient can’t eat or the patient won’t eat

Question 4

Dysphasia is defined as difficulties with:

Answer 4

Prehension and/or
Mastication and/or
Swallowing

Question 5

True or false: anorexia is a specific clinical sign

Answer 5

False: anorexia means a hunt for more information is needed

Endocrine, vs CNS, loss of smell, picky, fever, neoplasia, constipation, anemia, jaundice. Heart disease, stress

Question 6

What are the three possible physiological issues that can lead to weight loss if appetite is normal?

Answer 6

Maldigestion

Malabsorption

Malutilisation

Question 7

List some possible causes of maldigestion. What is the most common one in dogs?

Answer 7

Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency ( most common in dogs)

Secondary enzyme deficiency

Bile acid deficiency

Loss of brush border enzymes

Question 8

Which is more common, malabsorption due to a secondary GI disease or a primary GI disease?

Answer 8

Primary GI disease: structural damage to small intestine specifically

Question 9

List the causes of primary GI disease of small intestinal wall

Answer 9

IBD
Lymphangiectasia
Gastrointestinal lymphoma
Severe small intestinal bacterial growth
Intestinal parasites
Dry feline infectious peritonitis (FIP)
Systemic mycoses

Question 10

List the causes of malabsorption due to secondary GI

Answer 10

Hepatic disease

Right sided cardiac disease

Hyperthyroidism

Question 11

Define malutilisation

Answer 11

Failure to utilize appropriately nutrient that have been digested and absorbed normally or loss of nutrient after absorption

Question 12

What is usually not a significant feature of malutilisation except in some cases of hyperthyroidism?

Answer 12

Diarrhea

Question 13

What are some causes of malutilisation with a normal or increased appetite?

Answer 13

Diabetes mellitus ( increased)
Congestive heart failure
Dirofilariasis
Neoplasia (increased occasionally)
Hyperthyroidism (increased)
Liver disease
Renal disease