Pathological Diseases - Gastrointestinal diseases

Description: Abnormal enlargement of oesophagus, loss of muscular strgnth, loss of effective peristalsis.

Congenital causes: Persistant aortic arch, myasthenia gravis, idiopathic

Adult onset causes: Idiopathic, myasthenia  gravis, toxicities, CNS disease, hypoadrenocorticism, neoplasia, dysautonomia, strictures above obstructions.

Clinical Signs: Regurgitation, weight loss, restricted growth, aspiration pneumonia

Management: Sx correction, elevated feeding, boluses of food

Description: Scarring from inflammation, causes narrowing

Clinical Signs: Dysphagia, regurgitation

Treatment: Sx correction, bougienage (balloon inflated in oesophagus)

Description: Gastric adenocarcinoma, highly malignant, metastasise to lymph nodes.

Clinical signs: V++, Weight loss, Haematemesis, anorexia

Diagnosis: Contrast radiography, endoscope, biopsy

Treatment: Sx excision, chemotherapy (poor prognosis)

Description: Narrowing of the pylorus, reduced outflow of stomach contents, food accumulation in stomach.

Clinical Signs: Chronic vomiting

Treatment: Sx widening of pylorus via laparotomy

Description: Dilation of the stomach and twisting on axis, obstructs gastric outflow, common in large breeds, fatal if not treated, impairs blood supply = ischaemia and necrosis.

Clinical Signs: Praying position, dry retching, orthopnoea (difficulty breathing), restlessness, abdominal swelling, tympany, collapse, shock, pain.

Diagnosis: History, presentation, radiography (inverted C shape)

Treatment: 1st aid- relieve pressure by stomach tube, IV fluids, bloods, monitoring. Stabilisise, surgical repositioning and decompression, remove necrotic tissue, gastropexy (suture to abdominal wall)

Description: Obstruction of pyloric outflow causing accumulation.

Diagnosis: Radiography (with/ without barium meal)

Treatment: Endoscopic removal, laparotomy

Ileus = paralysis and disruption of intestinal blood supply

Intussussception = intestine telescopes in on itself, Diagnosed by radiography, treated with surgical reduction

Malabsorption/ Maldigestion = inability to absorb nutrients/ inability to break down food. Clinical signs = deficiencies, reduced body weight.

Description: Inflammation of the colon, Disrupts normal motility and absorptive capability (water and 'lytes) of large intestine. Can be acute or chronic

Clinical Signs: D++, tenesmus, mucus haematochezia (blood from anus), pain.

Diagnosis: Faecal sample (culture), rectal exam, diet trials, radiography, ultrasonography, endscopic biopsies.

Treatment: Starve for 24 hours, fibre supplements, worming, metranidazole

Description: Colon distention, faeces accumulate.

Causes: Pelvic/ spinal trauma/ disease, dysautonomia (disease of nervous system)

Clinical Signs: ***** tenesmus, hard faeces, distention, discomfort, vomiting.

Diagnosis: Radiography

Treatment: Enemas, lactulose, liquid paraffin, surgical removal.

Rectal Polyps - Benign superficial lesions. Cause tenesmus, haematochezia, constipation. treated by surgical removal

Perineal Rupture/ Hernia - Common in older/ entire dogs, dilation of the rectum requires surgical repair and laxatives.

Anal Sac Disease - Abcesses result from obstruction. Clinical signs= scooting, interference, pain. Treated by surgical removal and high fibre diet

Acute:

Causes: idiopathic, breed disposition, feeding high fat diet, trauma, recent anaesthesia, premature release of pancreatic enzymes = inflammation oedema, necrosis and haemorrhage.

Clinical Signs: Abdominal pain, V++, depression, anorexia, fever, D++

Diagnosis: Blood test, radiography, ultrasonography, serum lipase and amylase, Pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (PLI)

Treatment: Supportive and symptomatic, IVFT, low fat diet, anti emetics, buprenophine, methadone, steroids (prednisolone)

Chronic:

Causes: After permanent damage. i.e. Diabetes Mellitus, Hepatic Lipidosis

Causes: atrophy of pancreatic acini, insufficient enzyme production, impaired digestion (carbs, fat, protein)

Clinical Signs: Weight loss, polyphagia, coprophagia (***** eating), pica, poor hair growth, flatulence, D++, steatorrhoea (fatty faeces)

Diagnosis: serum measured for trypsin-like immunoreactivity (TLI)

Treatment: Supplementation of digestive enzymes, (folate+cobalamin)

Causes: Primary (dysfunctional liver tissue) - neoplasia, congestion, fibrosis, portosystemic shunt. Secondary (side effect) - steroid induced hepatopathy, drug toxicity, parvovirus, feline infectious enteritis, infectious canine hepatitis, leptospirosis.

Clinical Signs: anorexia, pyrexia, weight loss, D++/constipation, clear yellow urine, ascites, PU, PD, V++, Bruising, Jaundice.

Diagnosis: Biochemistry - liver enzymes, Radiography, ultrasound, biopsies,

Congenital *** - failure to close a blood vessel which shunts blood away from feotal liver and back to general circulation.

Clinical Signs: liver disease, poor weight gain, hepatic encephalopathy poisionig (due to ammonia accumulation), V++, D++, Pica, Intermittent anorexia.

Aquired *** - Preexisting liver disease (fibrosis of the liver), liver becomes altered/ hardened = increased resistance to blood flow

Diagnosis: Ultrasound and doppler

Treatment: surgical tying of shunt, high quality-low protein diets, lactulose, antibiotics