Feline Infectious Anemia Flashcards
What are some infectious causes for immune mediated hemolytic anemia in cats?
(Mycoplasma haemofelis, Cytauxzoon felis, FeLV, FIP, FIV, focal infections (ex. Hepatic abscess, pyelonephritis, pneumonia), and Babesia felis (rare))
What are differentials for extravascular hemolysis?
(Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, oxidant injury (acetaminophen toxicity), and abnormal macrophage activation and/or proliferation (erythrophagocytic histiocytic sarcoma or hemophagocytic syndrome))
What type of testing should be performed if you suspect you are seeing hemotropic mycoplasma organisms on a blood smear (epicellular cocci to rod shaped organisms associated with erythrocytes)?
(PCR testing)
How is Mycoplasma haemofelis transmitted?
(Blood suck arthropods such as fleas, potentially bite wounds and scratches, also iatrogenically via blood transfusions is possible)
What is the acute stage of mycoplasmosis?
(The time period from the first to last major parasitemia, can last months but some cats die rapidly especially if goes untreated, parasitemia and therefore decreased HCT is typically cyclic)
What are some risk factors for mycoplasmosis in cats?
(Being outdoors, being male, having a retroviral infection particularly FeLV, and stress)
What do the clinical signs of mycoplasmosis (lethargy, anorexia, pale mm, tachycardia, icterus, splenomegaly, and cyclic pyrexia) depend on?
(Mycoplasma species, phase of infection, immunocompetence, and concurrent stress)
Why must a positive PCR for mycoplasmosis be interpreted in light of hematological findings and clinical signs?
(Bc there is a carrier state in which the cats will be positive but will not have clinical disease, obviously you don’t want to treat a cat without clinical dz and risk esophageal stricture or owner death from a stray jugular puncture)
What is the preferred treatment for mycoplasmosis and what is another treatment option if the preferred treatment is not an option?
(Preferred treatment is doxycycline and the secondary treatment option is fluoroquinolones)
How is Cytauxzoon felis transmitted?
(By ticks, specifically Dermacentor variabilis and Amblyomma americanum)
What are the two forms of cytauxzoonosis?
(Tissue and erythrocyte phases, bone marrow/spleen/liver/lymph node aspirates during tissue phase may be diagnostic and blood smears during erythrocyte phase may be diagnostic)
How does cytauxzoonosis cause thromboembolic dz?
(The infected macrophages during the tissue phase enlarge due to schizont formation, can lead to venule occlusion in liver, spleen, and lymph nodes, hypoxia to those organs leads to death within 3 weeks of infection)
What Cytauxzoon structure is found in erythrocytes?
(Piroplasms)
What imaging modality can prove useful in cases of cytauxzoonosis?
(Rads → may see bronchial, interstitial, or bronchointerstitial pulmonary patterns)
Cats with cytauxzoonosis with what clinical signs have a worse prognosis?
(Hypothermia and respiratory distress)
