Southern Veterinary Discussion

09/07/2024

🐾 in Dogs 🐾

Lipomas, benign tumors of adipose tissue, are a common occurrence in our canine companions. They often manifest as soft, discrete nodular masses and are frequently found in older, obese female dogs. However, certain breeds, like Doberman Pinschers, Labrador Retrievers, and Miniature Schnauzers, are more predisposed.

👉 of Lipomas:

🛑 Lipomas: These are the most common type, characterized by soft, movable nodules found on the trunk and proximal limbs.

🛑 Lipomatosis: A rare variant, particularly identified in Dachshunds, where lipomas affect the entire skin, resulting in prominent folds, especially on the neck and trunk.

🛑 with Connective Tissue or Vascular Components: Fibrolipomas, chondrolipomas, and angiolipomas are recognized variants, each with unique characteristics.

While lipomas are generally benign, they shouldn't be ignored as they tend to enlarge over time.
💥Surgical excision is typically curative, although precise dietary restriction in dogs before surgery may aid in better defining surgical margins.

💥Early detection and appropriate management are key in ensuring the health and well-being of our furry friends. 🐶💼

03/07/2024

Asthma : 🐈‍⬛️

Asthma is a disease of the lower airways of the lungs that affects between 1 and 5% of cats. Feline asthma is caused by an allergic reaction to inhaled allergens, particles that stimulate a cat’s immune system.


Common triggers include:
- Allergens
- Smoke
- Stress


When a cat first inhales an allergen, her system creates specific antibodies to target that antigen. When the cat is exposed to that antigen again, these antibodies recognize the allergen and start a cascade of events that bring many different types of immune cells to the airways. These immune cells then trigger the production of substances that promote inflammation, causing irritation, swelling, and reactive constriction of the airways. As a result, the diameter of the airways may decrease and mucus may accumulate within the passages. All these processes limit the ability of air to move through the airways and cause the cat to experience difficulty breathing.


1. The average age of cats diagnosed with asthma is between 4 and 5 years.
2. Siamese cats may be predisposed to asthma.

Signs

1. Difficulty breathing
2. Wheezing
3. Rapid breathing
4. Coughing or hacking
5. Open-mouthed breathing or vomiting
6. Elevated respiratory rate or increased respiratory effort
7. During an asthma attack, many cats hunch their body close to the ground and extend their necks forward in a characteristic posture.


1. ☆Corticosteroids: To reduce inflammation in the lungs.
- ☆Prednisolone: Oral administration, typically 1-2 mg/kg once daily initially, then tapering to the lowest effective dose.
- ☆Fluticasone: Inhaled form, administered via a metered-dose inhaler, usually 125-250 mcg twice daily.
2. ☆Bronchodilators: To dilate the airways.
-☆Albuterol: Inhaled form, administered via a metered-dose inhaler, usually 90 mcg per puff, given every 4-6 hours as needed.

Both of these types of drugs come in oral, inhaled, and injectable forms


1. Reduce stress in your cat’s environment.
2. Use a humidifier during the dryer months.
3. Keep them away from cigarette smoke.
4. Avoid cat litters that create a lot of dust or have added scents.
5. Have your cat tested routinely for internal parasites, as these may aggravate asthma symptoms.


Feline asthma is often a progressive condition that fails to improve significantly over time. Affected cats may experience occasional asthmatic flare-ups that vary in intensity from mild to life-threatening. Although cats can never be truly "cured" of asthma, by carefully monitoring their respiratory effort, keeping an eye out for coughing, and intervening with medication when they need help, owners can help their asthmatic cats live happily for years.

28/06/2024

#𝗩𝗢𝗠𝗜𝗧-𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗨𝗖𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗗𝗥𝗨𝗚 𝗜𝗡 𝗦𝗠𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗔𝗡𝗜𝗠𝗔𝗟𝗦



𝙃𝙮𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙣 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙭𝙞𝙙𝙚
Administration:

🔸 peroxide (3%) is administered at a dose of 2.2 mL/kg (1 mL/lb) PO; the maximum dose is 45 mL (3 tablespoons) per dog.

🔸A second dose can be administered 10 to 15 minutes after the first dose only if no emesis is seen.

🔸The hydrogen peroxide can be mixed with a few drops of milk or ice cream to encourage voluntary ingestion, or it may be administered with a dosing syringe.

🔸Light exercise may increase the chance of emesis.

✨Success rate: 90%

#𝘼𝙥𝙤𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙥𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙚
Administration:

🔹Apomorphine can be administered orally, but owing to the slowness of action and high first-pass effect, this route is not recommended.

🔹The subcutaneous route appears to be more effective than the intramuscular route.

🔹For conjunctival administration, the tablet or powder is instilled in the eye under the lower eyelid.

🔹Vomiting will occur within 15 minutes, after which the remaining drug can be flushed out of the eye using sterile saline.

🔹Intravenous administration of 0.03 to 0.1 mg/kg appears to be the most effective and rapid method of inducing emesis.

🔹Since vomiting is aided by stimulation of the vestibular system, walking the patient may increase the efficacy of apomorphine.

✨Success rate: 94% to 100%

#𝙍𝙤𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙚
Administration:

🔻Ropinirole is administered as an eye drop at a rate of 3.75 mg/m2 (dose range, 2.7 to 5.4 mg/m2)

🔻If the dog does not vomit within 20 minutes of the first dose, a second dose can be administered.

✨Success rate: In one study, 95%



α2 𝘼𝙜𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙨: 𝙓𝙮𝙡𝙖𝙯𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙧 𝙙𝙚𝙭𝙢𝙚𝙙𝙚𝙩𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙝𝙮𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙝𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙚

Administration:

◾Xylazine is administered at 0.44 mg/kg IM. Dexmedetomidine can be administered at 7 µg/kg IM or 3.5 µg/kg IV.

◾(Anecdotally, some veterinarians have reported increased success by placing the cat in a carrier and slowly spinning the carrier)

✨Success rate: With xylazine 56%, while with dexmedetomidine 58% to 81%.

20/06/2024

Anthrax disease

Anhrax, a highly infectious and fatal disease of cattle, is caused by a relatively large spore-forming rectangular shaped bacterium called Bacillus anthracis. Anthrax causes acute mortality in ruminants. The bacteria produce extremely potent toxins which are responsible for the ill effects, causing a high mortality rate. Signs of the illness usually appear 3 to 7 days after the spores are swallowed or inhaled. Once signs begin in animals, they usually die within two days.

Hoofed animals, such as deer, cattle, goats, and sheep, are the main animals affected by this disease. They usually get the disease by swallowing anthrax spores while grazing on pasture contaminated (made impure) with anthrax spores. Inhaling (breathing in) the spores, which are odorless, colorless, and tasteless, may also cause infection in animals and people.

Symptoms:

Sudden death (often within 2 or 3 hours of being apparently normal) is by far the most common sign;
Very occasionally some animals may show trembling, a high temperature
Difficulty breathing, collapse and convulsions before death. This usually occurs over a period of 24 hours;
After death blood, may not clot, resulting in a small amount of bloody discharge from the nose, mouth and other openings
Treatment and control

Due to the acute nature of the disease resulting in sudden death, treatment is usually not possible in animals even though Anthrax bacilli are clines. Treatment is of use in cases showing sub-acute form of the disease.
In most cases, early treatment can cure anthrax. The cutaneous (skin) form of anthrax can be treated with common antibiotics.
Preventive measures:

Regular annual vaccination of animals in endemic areas will prevent the disease from occurring.
Vaccination may be carried out at least a month prior to expected disease occurrence in endemic areas.
Never open a carcass of an animal suspected to have died from anthrax.
Contact a veterinarian immediately if the following symptoms are seen and seek advice on control measures to be adopted.

Fever (106-108°F), loss of appetite, depression and dullness
Suspended rumination3. Rapid pulse and heart rates
Difficult breathing (dyspnoea)
Lameness in affected leg
Crepitation swelling over hip, back & shoulder
Swelling is hot & painful in early stages whereas cold and painless inter.
Recumbency (prostration) followed by death within 12-48 hrs.

17/06/2024

and Feline Hypercalcemia

in Dogs and Cats.

Hypercalcemia is diagnosed when calcium levels are elevated beyond normal ranges, indicating an underlying disease affecting calcium homeostasis. Clinical signs may not always be evident.

Response to Hypercalcemia:
* Decreased parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion
* Increased calcitonin secretion
* Decreased calcitriol synthesis

Causes in Dogs:
* Paraneoplastic hypercalcemia of malignancy
* Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT)
* Renal disease
* Addison disease

Signs:
Hypercalcemia affects the nervous, gastrointestinal, and urinary systems. Severe clinical signs can occur with calcium levels >14 mg/dL or acute rises. Total calcium concentrations >15-18 mg/dL can be life-threatening.

Treatment:
* Intravenous fluid treatment with normal saline
* Furosemide, steroids, bisphosphonates, calcitonin, bicarbonate, plicamycin
* Dialysis for lowering calcium

:
* Full physical exam, including peripheral lymph nodes and a**l sacs
* Complete blood count and biochemical profile with ionized calcium test
* Urinalysis and potential culture

:
* Abdominal radiographs or ultrasound for urolithiasis
* Thoracic radiographs for evaluating lungs, lymph nodes, and bones

Hyperparathyroidism (PHPT):
PHPT is common in older dogs and can be treated effectively with surgical excision of the hyperfunctional parathyroid gland(s). Postoperative hypocalcemia is common and requires ongoing treatment.

Points on PHPT:
* Bladder stones and UTIs are common
* Abnormal parathyroid tissue can be small, ectopic, or multiglandular
* Surgery is highly effective, though transient hypocalcemia post-surgery is common

Causes of Hypercalcemia:
* Paraneoplastic hypercalcemia of malignancy: Common in dogs (lymphoma, apocrine gland a**l sac adenocarcinoma) and cats (lymphoma, squamous cell carcinoma)
* Addison disease: Hypercalcemia occurs in ~30% of cases, usually mild and resolves with treatment
* Secondary and Tertiary Hyperparathyroidism: Resulting from conditions like renal failure and vitamin D deficiency
* Idiopathic Hypercalcemia in Cats: Most common form in cats, often with no clinical signs

:
Characterized by low PTH and low calcium, caused by surgical excision, trauma, or other factors. Clinical signs include nervousness, seizures, and muscle issues. Treatment includes calcium and vitamin D supplementation.

Calcium Administration:
For hypocalcemic tetany or convulsions, immediate IV administration of 10% calcium gluconate is required, with close monitoring.

01/10/2023

01/10/2023