Vomiting, Gastric, Intestinal and beyond

Question 1

List the signs of a GI obstruction

Answer 1

severe nausea
abdominal pain
lack of faeces
vomiting

Question 2

List 5 history questions to ask when trying to rule out obstructive disease

Answer 2

always ask about scavenging/ foreign bodies/ diet
diarrhoea in puppies/kittens
BCS - condition loss is concern in chronic disease
faecal output- if normal then obstruction is less likely
other signs of disease e.g. PU/PD

Question 3

If vomiting is acute but the dog is fine in itself what do we do

Answer 3

symptomatic treatment
give a GI diet
gastro-protectants and anti-emetics

Question 4

describe GI diet

Answer 4

high bioavailability of protein
easily digestible carbs and fats
low fibre (both slow gastric emptying)

Question 5

What do you do if Acute vomiting and none-responsive to symptomatic treatment

Answer 5

DON’T continue with drugs and symptomatic and send home
look and see if other clinical signs developing
consider obstructive again- re-evaluate

Question 6

What do you do if Acute vomiting and none-responsive to symptomatic treatment- with D+/ changes in faecal output

Answer 6

consider faecal samples for bacteria, viral parasitic disease

Question 7

What do you do if Acute vomiting and none-responsive to symptomatic treatment- with PUPD

Answer 7

Biochemistry to assess for renal or hepatic disease e.g. Acute Kidney Injury

Question 8

What do you do if Acute vomiting and none-responsive to symptomatic treatment- with neuro signs

Answer 8

Cranial nerve deficits/changes in vision -> cerebral disease
Ataxia/head tilt -> vestibular system (check the ears)

Question 9

What do you do if Acute vomiting and none-responsive to symptomatic treatment-with pyrexia

Answer 9

Look for the infectious/inflammatory focus -> POCUS, haematology, biochemistry

Question 10

What can cause chronic vomiting with weight loss

Answer 10

chronic enteropathies
Chronic hepatic, renal or endocrine disease
Neoplasia
chronic pancreatitis

Question 11

List the 4 most common neoplasias of the GI tract

Answer 11

Adenocarcinoma
Leiomyosarcoma and GIST
Lymphoma
Polyps

Question 12

What is the most common tumour of the stomach and large intestine

Answer 12

Adenocarcinoma
also affects small intestine

Question 13

Lust the clinical signs seen with Adenocarcinoma

Answer 13

vomiting blood- may look like coffee granules - gastric
ribbon like faeces- SI and colonic

Question 14

Describe how to treat adenocarcinomas

Answer 14

surgical excision +/- draining lymph nodes

Question 15

what is the prognosis for adenocarcinomas

Answer 15

Gastric- 6 months
SI 4-18 months
Colorectal 2-4 years