Neonatal Emergencies Flashcards
1
Q
Fading puppy/kitten syndrome
A
- also referred to as failure to thrive syndrome
- once healthy neonate that gradually weaken and frequently dies by the 4th week
Signs:
*cause usually unknown
Divided into 3 groups:
- Environmental: hypothermia
- poikilothermic: true for the 1st week
- stops eating due to inability to digest food and ileus, nausea,
- slow HR and can lead to cardiovascular collapse
- respiratory function can also deteriorate
- can lead to death
- Genetic
- congenital birth defects
- malformation of the fetus
- Infectious
- Canine herpes virus, parvovirus, feline herpes virus and calici virus
- e.coli
- intestinal parasites (roundworms and hookworms)
- maternal factors:
- overweight or older dams
2
Q
Feline neonatal isoerythrolysis (FNI)
A
- hemolytic disease that occur in kittens
- neonates born healthy and strong but within hours to days start to decline in health
- happens to neonates born to a Type B blood who mated with a tomcat with Type A blood
- if kitten is born with Type A or AB (very rare) blood and receives colostrum anti-A antibodies from the queen while nursing, the consequences can be catastrophic
- death can occur within a matter of hours
- kittens develop hemoglobiunuria
- hemolysis leads to anemia, nephropathy and even potential DIC
- Tail tip necrosis can happen from ischemia
- Feline blood AB group system:
- presence of naturally occurring alloantibodies against the blood type they lack
- no need for previous exposure to blood or blood products for the development of these alloantibodies
- all type B cats more than 3 months old possess high-titer naturally occurring anti-A alloantibodies with hemolyzing and agglutinating activity
- not all type A cats possess measureable tigers of naturally occurring anti-B alloantibodies
*Type B cats: British shorthair, Devon Rex, Cornish Rex, Turkish Angora, Turkish Van
Diagnosis:
*blood typing the queen and kitten, crossmatching them or performing a Coomb’s test on the kitten
Tx:
- aggressive for success to occur
- therapy involves immediate weaning of the kitten from mom
- if anemia is severe enough - blood transfusion
- use mother’s blood or washed Type B RBCs used at 20mls/kg over 2 hours
- any transfusion given 3-5 days postpartum following the first one should be washed Type A RBCs as the kitten will begin to develop own anti-B antibodies
- mortality rate is high
- best to prevent then to treat
3
Q
Hypoglycemia
A
- very common in sick neonates due to limited glycogen stores, immature liver functions, minimal fat and increased glucose demands
- any neonate who stops eating can be at risk
- oral dextrose if the baby is normothermic and warming
- dextrose should not be given subcutaneously as its hypertonicity is damaging to tissues
