Dog Days
A 2-year-old Labrador presents with acute vomiting after getting into the trash. Abdominal radiographs show a suspicious object in the stomach. The most likely diagnosis is:
What is a gastric foreign body?
A neutered male cat is repeatedly entering the litter box, vocalizing, and producing no urine.
What is a urethral obstruction?
Abdominal radiographs reveal a massively gas-distended stomach with compartmentalization ("double bubble").
What is GDV?
PCV 18%, total protein low, lactate elevated in a collapsed dog.
What is acute hemorrhage/hemoabdomen?
A dog presents with acute vomiting. Name one reasonable differential.
What is gastroenteritis? (Also accept foreign body, pancreatitis, dietary indiscretion, etc.)
A 10-year-old Golden Retriever presents with acute collapse, pale mucous membranes, weak pulses, and abdominal distension. AFAST reveals free abdominal fluid.
What is a hemoabdomen (likely secondary to a ruptured splenic mass)?
A cat presents with open-mouth breathing, muffled heart sounds, and decreased ventral lung sounds.
What is pleural effusion?
Thoracic radiographs show pleural fluid causing retraction of the lung lobes from the thoracic wall.
What is pleural effusion?
Na 120 mEq/L, K 7.0 mEq/L, vomiting, weakness, collapse.
What is Addisonian crisis?
A dog presents with collapse and pale gums. Name one major differential.
What is hemoabdomen? (Also accept IMHA, severe anemia, cardiac disease, etc.)
A Great Dane presents with a distended abdomen, nonproductive retching, and signs of shock.
What is gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV)?
An overweight cat has not eaten for five days and now has icterus and elevated liver enzymes.
What is hepatic lipidosis?
AFAST reveals free abdominal fluid in a collapsed dog.
What is a hemoabdomen?
Hyperglycemia, ketonuria, metabolic acidosis.
What is diabetic ketoacidosis?
A cat presents with dyspnea. Name one differential diagnosis.
What is pleural effusion? (Also accept asthma, heart failure, pneumothorax, pulmonary edema, etc.)
A young dog presents with PU/PD, vomiting, weakness, hyponatremia, and hyperkalemia.
What is an Addisonian crisis (hypoadrenocorticism)?
An older cat presents with weight loss despite an excellent appetite, tachycardia, and a palpable thyroid slip.
What is hyperthyroidism?
Thoracic radiographs show an enlarged cardiac silhouette with pulmonary edema in a coughing dog.
What is congestive heart failure?
Regenerative anemia, spherocytes, autoagglutination, hyperbilirubinemia.
What is immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA)?
A dog presents with PU/PD. Name one endocrine differential.
What is diabetes mellitus? (Also accept Cushing's disease, Addison's disease, chronic kidney disease, pyometra in an intact female.)
A diabetic dog presents with vomiting, lethargy, dehydration, hyperglycemia, ketonuria, and metabolic acidosis.
What is diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)?
A cat presents with plantigrade stance, weakness, and persistent hyperglycemia.
What is diabetic neuropathy secondary to diabetes mellitus?
A lateral abdominal radiograph shows two populations of intestines with plicated bowel loops.
What is a linear foreign body?
Severe thrombocytopenia, prolonged PT/PTT, spontaneous bleeding.
What is disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)?
A dog presents with seizures. Name one metabolic differential
What is hypoglycemia? (Also accept hepatic encephalopathy, electrolyte abnormalities, toxin exposure, etc.)