Module 10: Non-Infectious Disease

Non infectious disease can be one of 6 things

• neoplastic (cancer)

• Nutritional

• Metabolic

• Immune mediated

• Degenerative/Developmental

Define Cancer (neoplasia)

Formation or presence of a new abnormal growth of tissue

Define sarcoma

Arise from connective tissue (bone, cartilage blood, fat, vascular, hemopoetic)

Define carcinoma

Arise from epithelial cells (skin lining or organs) (squamous, duct cells)

Benign Tumor

Malignant Tumor

Will a visible mass always be present with cancer?

No, Bone marrow, spleen and blood stream could be affected

What should be suspected with abnormal appearing tissue (scabbing, bruising) that are not resolving?

Neoplasia— Mast cell tumours may appear like this

List some margins to consider when Neoplasia is found?

Is it solitary vs multiple/ spreading?

Is it well circumscribed? (clear margins) vs poorly differentiated

What is the growth rate?

What is primary neoplasia?

Solitary mass that originates in the place it is found (eg mass in the lungs that originated in the lungs)

What is secondary neoplasia?

a tumour that started elsewhere and metastasized to the lungs

Will you find neoplasia on bloodwork?

Sometimes, most often not

What is the only definitive means to diagnose neoplasia?

Histology (incisional biopsy or excisional biopsy)

what is staging as it pertains to neoplasia diagnostics?

Checking for the extent of cancer spread in the body, including lymph node involvement, lungs (chest rads), bone marrow (aspirate?)

What diagnostic sample should be taken from lymph nodes before deciding what biopsy to take?

FNA (fine needle aspirate)

List some signs of endocrine diseases (4)

• Bilaterally symmetrical alopecia (hair loss) that is not itchy

• Major changes in thirst/hunger

• Weight changes

• Inability to overcome infections or repeated secondary infections

List the two clinically relevant adrenal Abnormalities

• Hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing's disease)

• Hypoadrenocorticism (Addison's disease)

List 2 clinically relevant pancreatic hormone imbalances

• Insulinoma (excess insulin)

• Diabetes mellitus (insufficient insulin)

List the two clinically relevant thyroid illnesses and the species most commonly affected.

• Hyperthyroidism (often cats)

• Hypothyroidism (often dogs)

List a pituitary gland illness

insufficient growth hormone (pituitary Dwarphism)

List 4 Estrogen/testosterone increased issues

• Prostatomegaly - enlarged prostate

• Vaginitis

• Infertility

• Circumanal gland hyperplasia

List 3 Metabolic Disease processes

1. Maldigestion

2. Malabsorption

3. Endocrine abnormalities

What are two types of Maldigestion

1. Enzyme deficiencies (cannot digest food)

2. Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI)

What is SIBO (type of malabsorption)

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth - opportunistic bacteria cause harm when out of control

List three pancreatic tests to check for pancreatic insufficiency

1. Cobalamin (vit b 12) decreased indicates lack of absorption or bacterial utilization

2. Folate (increased indicates bacterial growth)

3. TLI (trypsin like immunoreactivity)

List 3 clinical signs of endocrine hormone abnormalities

1. Alters body’s metabolism

2. Abnomal weight regulation

3. Decreased immune response

What are the 4 main nutritional areas we run into issues with?

1. Deficiencies

2. Excesses

3. Inappropriate Diet

4. Obesity

What general class of pets most often struggle with nutritional disease?

Exotics (lack of education)

What does a lack of taurine cause in cats?

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

What does a lack of taurine cause in dogs?

Dilated cardiomyopathy

What species does Vit C deficiency (scurvy)

Guiney Pigs

What deficiency can occur with all meat diets? (2)

• Vit d deficiency

• Metabolic bone disease (ricketts)

What are the three common excess nutritional issues?

• Calcium (calcium rich hay- cause urolithiasis-

• Carbohydrate rich feeds- (fruits, sugar laden treats)

• Hypervitaminosis A- vision growth, reproduction, immune function, skin lesions in reptiles

List some examples of inappropriate diets (4)

• Lack of abrasives= dental disease

• Grain free diets= DCM

• Raw= possible contamination/severe infections

• Adult dog food to puppies= inappropriate life stage rating

What can obesity result in?

• Airway restriction

• Stress on joints- predisposes to arthritis

• Inflammatory mediators

• Lack of grooming ability

Abomasal Bloat- define/ what is it caused by

Happens in calves from excess fermentation

Improper mixing of milk replacer, large single daily feedings, failure of passive transfer

Hypernatremia

• (too much salt/ salt toxicity)

• from excessive loss of water

Treatment of hypernatremia

• slowly correct imbalances

• Calculating free water deficits and use fluids like hypertonic saline

What are developmental diseases

While animal is growing “body did not read the blueprints- can be any tissue/system)”

Intersex

Individual has reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn't fit typical definitions of male or female, often due to hormonal or genetic factors, leading to ambiguous genitalia or mixed secondary sexual characteristics.

Give some examples of developmental diseases

• Urogenital- intersex, hypospadias, ectopic ureters

• Oral- Malocclsion, cleft palate

• Brachycephalic Syndrome

• Orthopedic (Hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, panosteitis)

• Heart abnormalities- (PDA, Patent foramen ovale, tetralogy of fallot)

• Eyelid disorders- (entropian, ectropian) cherry eye

• Blood/Immune disorders( Von Willebrand’s disease- vWD), hemophilia- clotting factor (VIII deficiency)

Give some examples of degenerative diseases

• DJD (degenerative joint disease) arthritis

• IVDD (intervertebral disk disease)

• Degenerative myelopathy (nerve loss)

• Larpar

• Dental disease

• Lenticular sclerosis

• Lentigo (black nose/ lid spots)