GI - Small Intestine

Question 1

How does the pancreatic duct system differ between cats and dogs?

Answer 1

Dogs have… pancreatic duct and an accessory duct

Cats only have a pancreatic duct emptying into major duodenal papilla

Question 2

How can you differentiate the jejunum and ileum histologically?

Answer 2

Jejunum has tall and cylindrical villi

Ileum has short and cylindrical villi and also contains paneth cells with eosinophilic granules at the base of the crypts

Question 3

How quick do the villi of the intestines turnover/

Answer 3

3 days from the crypts

Question 4

What are the functions of the crypt cells?

Answer 4

Secretory

Make undifferentiated epithelial cells (enterocytes) which will migrate to top of crypt

Question 5

Main function of duodenum?

Answer 5

Bile break down fat

Pancreatic enzymatic juice convert fat to fatty acids and glycerol
Also neutralize stomach acid

Question 6

Main function of jejunum?

Answer 6

Breakdown of carbohydrate, protein, and fat

Question 7

Main function of ileum?

Answer 7

Absorb nutrients and bile absorbed and returned to liver (enterohepatic circulation)

Question 8

What molecules require active transport across the epithelium of the gut?

Answer 8

Glucose and galactose

Amino acids
Dipeptides and tripepetides

In disease state, you often loose energy supply to gut and therefore loose this absorption

Question 9

What is the main energy requirement of enterocytes and when absent what will you see?

Answer 9

Glutamine

Decline in villi structure
Loss of epithelial integrity
Decreased immune function
Decreased absorptive function

Question 10

Large or small bowel disease?

Vomiting
Increased dedication frequency
Increased fecal volume
Melena

Answer 10

Small bowel

Question 11

You will likely see these clinical signs with malabsorption of the small intestine

Answer 11

Falatulence

Steatorrhea

Question 12

What is on your DDX list for an acute enteropathy?

Answer 12

Dietary indiscretion 
Diet change 
Infection 
Medication 
Stress 
Secondary to pancreatitis 
Acute hemorrhagic diarrhea syndrome

Question 13

What is on your list of differentials for a chronic enteropathy?

Answer 13

Food allergy or hypersensitivity
Inflammatory bowel disease
Lymphagniectasia
Infections including antibiotic responsive disease, parasites
Neoplasia
Secondary to exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI)

Question 14

What are features of a CBC in a dog with acute hemorrhagic diarrhea syndrome ?

Answer 14

Small breed dogs

Marked hemoconcentration
Fluid shifts - usually hypovolemic shock before clinical evidence of dehydration

Question 15

Clinical sign of AHDS?

Answer 15

Hematemesis and hematochezia (said to resemble raspberry jam)

Question 16

What are possible EDX of acute hemorrhagic diarrhea syndrome?

Answer 16

Viral
Hypersensitive
Infection * clostridium perfringens

Question 17

Treatment for acute hemorrhagic diarrhea syndrome

Answer 17

IVF 
Antibiotics (Unasyn +/- metronidazole) 
Gastroprotectants 
Antiemetics 
Nutrition 

Prognosis is good with aggressive supportive care unless…. hypotoreitnemia and signs of sepsis

Question 18

What parasites affect can affect the small intestine of dogs?

Answer 18

Roundworms
-toxocara canis

Hookworms
-ancylostoma caninum

Whipworm
-trichuris vulpis

Strongyloides
-strongyloides stercoralis

Question 19

How do animals get dipylidium caninum ?

Answer 19

Ingestion of fleas

Question 20

What animals are most affected by toxocara ?

Answer 20

Young pups/kitttnes

Can be fatal- high worm burden and pulmonary involvement