Diagnosis and management of pancreatitis

While there is no single diagnostic approach, other than direct examination of the pancreas, that is completely reliable for the diagnosis of pancreatitis, a presumptive diagnosis of acute pancreatitis can be made with a good degree of confidence by careful evaluation of the entire clinical picture - history and clinical signs, results of physical examination, abdominal imaging and laboratory testing. The approach to treatment is to rest the pancreas, by withholding food, while providing general supportive care by fluid therapy including, in severe cases, plasma transfusion to replace plasma protease inhibitors and albumin. Additional specific interventions in an effort to halt the progression of spontaneous pancreatitis have not yet been shown to be effective, but control of obesity and avoidance of high fat diets may help prevent pancreatitis or lessen its severity when it occurs. Pancreatitis is an unpredictable disease of widely varying severity. While many patients with uncomplicated pancreatitis recover spontaneously following several days of supportive care, other patients die in spite of prolonged intensive care.     

犬急性胰腺炎的诊疗

胰腺炎是多发生在成年犬的一种消化系统疾病,该病发病率不高,占门诊或临床发病率的0.5%,但是该病死亡率高,特别是幼犬的发病率和死亡率偏高.从接触的病例来看,只有极少数的病例属于原发病,大多数病例是继发于肠胃炎、犬细小病毒、犬瘟热和肝炎等疾病.     

药物过敏引起的犬急性胰腺炎的诊治1例

2005年9月,一头正在接受培训的警犬突然出现全身剧痒,后肢麻痹等一系列神经症状,待缓和后又出现剧烈呕吐,经诊断是由于药物过敏而引起的犬急性胰腺性,现将该犬的临床症状及治疗经验叙述如下:     

Diagnosis of canine hyperadrenocorticism.

Canine hyperadrenocorticism is one of the most common endocrinopathies in dogs. Diagnosis remains difficult in some cases due to factors such as the presence of non-adrenal illness and limitations in the tests. Differentiation between the pituitary and adrenal forms is important for providing accurate prognostic information and delineating treatment options and protocols. This article reviews the tests available for diagnosis (screening) and differentiation and evaluates their advantages and disadvantages. Recommendations for testing are made.     

Diagnosis of neonatal pig diarrhea.

To be effective, swine practitioners should develop a unit health program. Development should involve unit managers, owners, and employees involved in day-to-day operations. Emphasis on training personnel and management to reduce disease and collection of accurate records is necessary. Routine diagnostics are needed to solve disease problems. Communication with laboratory personnel to ascertain what samples are needed for diagnosis of particular problems cannot be overemphasized. General diagnosis of disease problems outlined by Vinson can be similarly followed within the specifics of diarrheal problems within units. 1. Observe symptoms exhibited by pigs, i.e., huddling, fecal material around perineum, extreme thirst, etc. 2. Evaluate the degree of morbidity and potential production losses. 3. Analyze possible specific causes of symptoms, i.e., environmental cleanliness, affected litter distribution, age of affected neonates, and other populations affected. 4. Examine live animals, i.e., obtain serum samples from a random population, take rectal temperatures of affected neonates, and evaluate fecal pH. 5. Necropsy dead or dying pigs [that] appear to represent the problem. 6. Submit live pigs or appropriate tissues from necropsied pigs to a diagnostic laboratory. 7. Re-evaluate environmental conditions that may be contributing to the problem (remember, unit employees are a part of the pigs' environment). 8. Evaluate management procedures contributing to the disease problem, i.e., lack of adherence to all-in all-out, rapid turn-around decreasing cleaning time etc. Following this format and communicating with diagnosticians should provide for positive results for the producers both entities serve.     

Diagnosis of urinary tract infections.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common cause of urinary tract disease and may be associated with systemic disease. Diagnosis cannot be made on urinalysis and other findings alone. A urine culture is the "gold standard" for diagnosis of UTI. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing performed as part of a urine culture aids in selection of appropriate treatment for patients with confirmed bacterial UTI.     

Feline asthma. Diagnosis and treatment.

Human asthma is not a curable disease, although spontaneous resolution is common in adult asthmatics who developed asthma in childhood. We do not know if this is true or not for cats with asthma. We do know that some cats may be only mildly and intermittently symptomatic and that others may suffer life-threatening illness. An important new development in our understanding of this disease is the occurrence of airway inflammation even when patients are symptom-free. It is therefore crucial that we direct our therapeutic attention toward the underlying chronic inflammation that causes the acute clinical signs of cough, wheeze, and increased respiratory effort. Client education is also critical so that our clients develop realistic expectations of the effectiveness of these treatments for their pets. A great deal still needs to be learned regarding the pathogenesis of feline asthma and the optimal approach(es) to treating cats with this sometimes debilitating and potentially fatal respiratory syndrome. There is great hope and anticipation that ongoing research can bring new treatments for human and feline asthmatics alike.     

Diagnosis of mastitis for therapy decisions.

Identifying specific groups of mastitis pathogens by their growth on selective agars can help identify the pathogens that are present in mastitic milk samples. This article addresses issues that are essential in making good use of diagnostic procedures to improve udder health on dairies.     

Diagnosis and treatment of septic arthritis.

Septic arthritis (SA) is a common orthopedic condition encountered in horses that are presented to equine veterinarians. Successful out-come is dependent on prompt and thorough evaluation and treatment. This article briefly reviews the pathophysiology, outlines diagnostics, describes treatment options and prognostics, and discusses current research in diagnosis and treatment of SA.     

Diagnosis and treatment of lens diseases.

The lens represents a unique tissue in light of its embryologic development, retention of old cells and nuclear make-up, transparent nature, immune privileged status, and metabolic restrictions. Disorders of malformation and malposition occur, but cataract development is the most common and significant problem for owners and animals. Technologic and pharmacologic advances have allowed surgical removal of equine cataracts to become an acceptable alternative, capable of returning a visually impaired horse to a functional status. Uveal inflammation represents the greatest threat to successful surgical cataract removal. Veterinarians should consult with those versed in ophthalmology for assistance in diagnosis, prognosis, peroperative treatment, surgical intervention, and follow-up on lens disorders.