Management of acute illness in cats

Pleural effusions can cause dyspnea and cyanosis, and are caused by cardiomyopathy, pyothorax, FIP, FeLV-related disease and trauma. Thoracentesis is used to obtain fluid samples for cytologic examination and culture. Radiographs made after thoracentesis may reveal the cause. Lymphosarcoma causes a sterile exudate containing neoplastic cells. Congestive cardiomyopathy causes a transudate or modified transudate. The sterile exudate of FIP has a proteinaceous background on cytologic examination. The exudate of pyothorax is septic. Treatment depends on the cause but generally includes thoracentesis and supportive care. Cardiomyopathy causes dyspnea, cyanosis, murmurs, gallop rhythms and other arrhythmias. Radiography reveals a globoid heart in the congestive form and a "valentine-shaped" heart in the hypertrophic form. Treatment of congestive cardiomyopathy involves use of furosemide, but is usually unrewarding. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is treated with propranolol. Fever may be caused by infection, immune-mediated disease, neoplasia and unknown causes. Treatment is aimed at removal of the underlying cause.     

Pemphigus and pemphigoid in domestic animals: an overview

Pemphigus and pemphigoid are uncommon dermatological entities in domestic animals and of a presumed autoimmune nature. In one form or another, they have been reported in the dog, cat, horse and goat. Although these diseases are considered to be bullous dermatoses, the clinical presentation may vary from ulcerative to exfoliative to proliferative depending on the individual condition. Currently, four variants of pemphigus are recognized (vulgaris, vegetans, foliaceus, erythematosus) and two of pemphigoid (bullous, cicatricial) although cicatricial pemphigoid has not yet been conclusively demonstrated in animals. Diagnosis is based on history, clinical signs, histopathology and immunopathology. Therapy must be immunosuppressive to be effective and is palliative rather than curative.