Clinical Examination and Diagnostic Investigation Flashcards
(44 cards)
List the body postures of an anxious/fearful cat.
- Tense musculature
- Closed, crouched body position
- Dilated pupils
- Pads on the floor
- Tail tucked close or under the body
- Head and neck pulled in close to the body
- Ears flattened down against the head
List the common behaviours exhibited by an anxious/fearful cat.
- Creating distance between themselves and the stressor
- Hiding
- Hypervigilance
- Inhibition of sleep
- Inhibition of maintenance behaviours
- Altered eating patterns
- Decreased exploratory and play behaviour
- Decreased movement/freezing and being quiet
- Startling easily
When avoidance and retreat are not an option, list the common behaviours exhibited by an anxious cat.
- Hypersalivation. Tongue licking nose or exaggerated swallowing
- Vocalisations or spitting
- Aggressive behaviour
- Trembling/shaking
- Rapid breathing – particularly open mouthed breathing (don’t pant like dogs)
How should you modify your behaviour for cat friendly handling technique?
- Need to be calm around them
- Gentle tone of voice
- Quietly confident
- Patient
- Avoid confrontation
- Slow, gentle, quiet approach at all times
Name 4 pharmacological interventions for a stressed cat.
- Local anaesthetic ointment - assist jugular blood sampling or IV catheter
- Gabapentin orally
- Butorphanol 0.3mg/kg IM for sampling/catheter
- Sedation - alpha-2 agonist and opiate, alphaxlone, midazolam, butorphanol
What is cytology?
A test that evaluates the cells present in samples of fluid – bronchoalveolar lavage, CSF, synovial fluid, body cavity fluid or tissue.
What are the advantages of cytology?
- Easy – rarely needs GA if peripherally located lesion, or sophisticated equipment
- Minimally invasive with low risk of complications
- Can be performed in house
- Quick with rapid turnaround of results as it does not require additional fixation
- Cheap
- Multiple sites can be sampled simultaneously
What are limitations of cytology?
- For some tissues/disease processes cytology may only be a screening test that indicates the need for follow-up histopathology
- Tissue architecture cannot be evaluated, less complete than histopathology and not suitable for some diseases
- Does not give information on degree of invasiveness
What are the uses of cytology?
- Fluids
- Lesions that are easily accessible
- Lesions that exfoliate cells plentifully
- Lesions with uniform/consistent changes
When is cytology less useful?
- Lesions that are poorly exfoliative
- Complex/mixed structures
- Samples that require tissue architecture evaluation
- The characterise location of inflammation/pathology within a complex organ
Which techniques can be used for histopathology?
- FNA
- Incisional punch biopsy (circular blade digs down into tissue to get a core)
- Excisional biopsy (removing tissue to send off)
Name 3 fixatives that may be used in histopathology.
Formalin
Glutaraldehyde
Liquid nitrogen
Describe FNA with aspiration.
Performed with syringe attached and suction applied. Needle re-directed within the lesion 3-5 times causing suction released and needle withdrawn
What is the aim of FNA with aspiration?
To suck tiny cores of tissue into the needle
Describe FNA without aspiration.
Performed with (if entering or near a body cavity) or without syringe attached to needle. Needle repeatedly moved up and down in the lesion around 4-6 times.
What is the aim of FNA without aspiration?
To push tiny cores of tissue into the needle
What is the benefit of FNA with aspiration?
High numbers of cells collected
What is the benefits of FNA without aspiration?
Lower risk of cell damage/barotrauma and blood contamination
What is the risk of FNA with aspiration?
Risk of blood contamination and cell damage/barotrauma, meaning it is no longer diagnostic
What is the risk of FNA without aspiration?
Lower numbers of cells collected so non-diagnostic
What types of lesions can be assessed using FNA with aspiration?
Hard masses
Lesions where FNA without aspiration has been unsuccessful
What types of lesions can be assessed with FNA without aspiration?
Soft masses and masses in very vascular tissues
What does barotrauma result in?
Cells rupture and they cannot be analysed
What must be done if body cavity fluid preparation has low cellularity?
Concentrate sample – centrifuge and then smear re-suspended pellet, line smear or cytospin
