PATHOLOGY - Small Animal Upper Respiratory Disease Flashcards
(125 cards)
What is stridor?
Stridor is a harsh, high pitched sound heart on inspiration which will resolve at rest/sleeping and worsen with exercise and excitement
What is indicated by stridor?
Stridor indicates upper airway obstruction and laryngeal paralysis
What is laryngeal paralysis?
Laryngeal paralysis is when their is failure of the dorsal cricoarytenoid muscle resulting in the glottis being unable to abduct during inhalation
What are the clinical signs of laryngeal paralysis?
Stridor
Dysphonia
Gagging and coughing when eating and drinking
Exercise intolerance
What are the clinical signs of an acute crisis of laryngeal paralysis?
Severe dyspnoea
Stridor
Cyanosis
Collapse
Which can trigger an acute crisis of laryngeal paralysis?
Excitement
Heat
Stress
Exercise
How do you diagnose laryngeal paralysis?
You diagnose laryngeal paralysis by visualising the larynx as the patient is recovering from anaesthesia. You cannot diagnose this while the patient in under anaesthesia, as all anaesthetic drugs will supress laryngeal function which could result in a false positive
How do you treat and manage an acute crisis of laryngeal paralysis?
Oxygen supplementation
Sedation
Steroids
Cooling
What should you do if your patient is not improving following supportive care for an acute crisis of laryngeal paralysis?
If your patient is not improving, consider surgical intervention or do an emergency tracheostomy
Have a conversation with the owner about this, and be aware that the surgery is very risky and can affect quality of life - especially as these tend to be older dogs
Which two surgical procedures can be done to treat laryngeal paralysis?
Cricoarytenoid lateralisation (tieback) surgery
Partial arytenoidectomy
What lifestyle changes have to be made following surgical correction of a laryngeal paralysis?
- Animals should be encouraged to eat slowly and drink only water, as there is a high risk of aspiration pneumonia
- Animals will not be allowed to swim as there is a high risk of aspiration pneumonia
- Use a harness rather than a lead and collar
What are the main causes of laryngeal paralysis?
Idiopathic
Congenital
Secondary to other diseases
What signalement is prone to idiopathic laryngeal paralysis?
Old, medium to large breed dogs
Which dog breed is predisposed to laryngeal paralysis?
Labrador Retreivers
What are the potential causes of secondary laryngeal paralysis?
Damage to the recurrent laryngeal nerve
Trauma
Myopathy
Neuropathy
Neoplasia
Hypothyroidism
Which surgical procedure can cause damage to the recurrent laryngeal nerve and subsequent laryngeal paralysis?
Thyroidectomy
What is stertor?
Stertor low pitch, snoring sound that worsens during excitement and sleeping
What is indicated by stertor?
Brachycephalic airway obstruction syndrome (BOAS)
What are the primary anatomical components of brachycephalic airway obstruction syndrome (BOAS)?
Stenotic nares
Elongated soft palate
Excess pharyngeal mucosa
Aberrant turbinates
Hypoplastic trachea
What are aberrant turbinates?
Aberrant turbinates are structural defromaties where the nasal turbinates extend beyond their normal anatomical limits
In which brachycephalic breed are hypoplastic tracheas more commonly seen?
Bulldogs
In which brachycephalic breed are aberrant turbinates more commonly seen?
Pugs
Which secondary conditions are seen as a result of brachycephalic airway obstruction syndrome (BOAS)?
Everted laryngeal saccules
Tonsillar hyperplasia and eversion
Laryngeal collapse
Regurgitation
Hiatal hernia
What is a hiatal hernia?
A hiatal hernia is when part of the stomach herniates into the thorax