coughing cat

Question 1

define wheezing

Answer 1

production of a continuous high-pitched musical sound from the chest during expiration

Question 2

what is tachypnoea

Answer 2

rapid breathing

Question 3

what is dyspnoea

Answer 3

increased effort of breathing

Question 4

list signs of upper airway disease

Answer 4

• inspiratory dyspnoea
• nasal discharge
• snoring/snorting
• dysphagia
• obstructed nares
• facial deformity
• sneezing

Question 5

list signs of lower airway disease

Answer 5

• coughing
• expiratory dyspnoea
• wheezing

Question 6

what is the physiological mechanism by which a cough is produced in airway disease

Answer 6

Chemical or mechanical stimulation of cough receptors in the pharynx, trachea, main carina, branching points of large airways, and more distal smaller airways causes a nerve impulse to travel via the vagus nerve to a cough centre in the medulla. This then generates an efferent signal via the vagus, phrenic and spinal motor nerves to the expiratory muscles to produce a cough.

Question 7

why are diagnostic techniques such as radiography, bronchoscopy, BAL, thoracocentesis and hematology used to diagnose respiratory diseases

Answer 7

radiography: enables assessment of thoracic cavity and lung fields
bronchoscopy allows visualisation of the lumen and lining of the larynx, trachea, mainstem bronchus and its divisions
BAL: enables culture and sensitivity and cytological examination of airway
thoracocentesis: to rule out pleural effusion
hematology: helps rule out metabolic causes of dyspnoea

Question 8

what would you do if a cat came into the surgery in respiratory distress

Answer 8

administer oxygen, minimise stress to the cat

Question 9

what is tidal volume

Answer 9

the volume of air that enters and leaves the lungs with each breath

Question 10

what is minute volume

Answer 10

the volume of air that enters and leaves the lungs each minute (tidal volume x resp rate)

Question 11

what is closing capacity

Answer 11

the minimum volume of air needed to keep the alveoli open

Question 12

what is functional residual capacity

Answer 12

the volume of air present in the lungs at the end of passive expiration

Question 13

what parameters are likely to increase with feline asthma

Answer 13

• resistance to breathing
• closing capacity
• work of breathing
• mucus secretion
• bronhial wall thickness
• functional residual capacity

Question 14

what parameters decrease with feline asthma? what parameters are variable

Answer 14

• minute volume
• rate of oxygen uptake
• tidal volume
• lumen of small airways
• arterial carbon dioxide

Question 15

how would you decrease anesthetic risk to a asthmatic cat

Answer 15

• pre oxygenate
• keep time under GA to a minimum
• use drugs that minimise respiratory depression
• keep plane of anasthesia light
• careful monitoring during anaesthesia and recovery

Question 16

how do you calculate the flow rate of fresh gas

Answer 16

flow rate = minute volume x circuit factor
minute volume = tidal volume x RR

Question 17

what would you see if the fresh gas flow was set to half the required value

Answer 17

Rebreathing of expired gas leads to increased levels of CO2 in the blood. CO2 is the stimulus for respiration therefore the respiratory rate would increase.