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July 2020

                                                           A Peer-Reviewed Journal | cliniciansbrief.com

                                                      KITTEN
                                                      DEVELOPMENTAL
IN THIS ISSUE
                                                      STAGES

Developmental
Stages of Puppies
Hemoabdomen:
Management Algorithm
Top 5 Passive Cervical
Flexion Causes
Feline Asthma Review
Differential Diagnoses:
Thrombocytosis

                                                                                       Volume 18 Number 7

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KITTEN DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES - Hey There, brief.vet Is A ...
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KITTEN DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES - Hey There, brief.vet Is A ...
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 I will never forget my                       What is the largest number of pets you have had
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 ______________________.
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 time with them as well.”—Noah L              “My personal count is 11 indoor cats, plus a litter of 7 rescued kittens that had to be
 “Hypoadrenocorticism. The dog came in        bottle-fed, so 18 total cats, 4 dogs, 1 snake, 2 fish, and 1 boyfriend with his 2 little
 little more than dead. I was able to draw    boys. I do not know how I managed.”—Gen L
 blood, place a catheter, give medica-        “I foster cats, so, including fosters, the most I have had at a single time was 26 cats
 tions, and stabilize her on my own. It was   and 7 dogs. I do not count the farm animals, as they were outside, but there were
 like she came back to life.”—Maggie Q        11 chickens, 2 ducks, and 1 horse.”—Karen D
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 dachshund on Christmas day. The poor         surprise babies, making a total of 20 scorpions!”—Brittany B
 thing did not make it.”—Dawn S
                                              “Right now, I have 9 indoor cats, 6 dogs, 1 potbellied pig, 6 parrots, 17 bunnies,
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KITTEN DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES - Hey There, brief.vet Is A ...
OUR
    AUTHORS

                                 JULIE ALLEN, BVMS, MS, MRCVS, DACVIM (SAIM), DACVP, is a former clinical
                                 assistant professor of clinical pathology at Cornell University. She earned her veter-
                                 inary degree from University of Glasgow and her MS from Iowa State University,
                                 where she completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery
                                 and a residency in small animal internal medicine. She also completed a residency
                                 in clinical pathology at North Carolina State University. Dr. Allen focuses on
                                 cachexia/anorexia, endocrinology, and hepatobiliary and pancreatic disease and
                                 has committed her career to improving the diagnosis of disease.
                                 differential diagnosis page 27

                                 SARAH E. CUDNEY, DVM, is a senior emergency medicine and critical care resident
                                 at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. She earned her
                                 DVM from Cornell University and completed a rotating internship at Angell
                                 Memorial Animal Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. Her interests are in trauma,
                                 point-of-care ultrasonography, mechanical ventilations, and zoo and exotic animal
                                 critical care.
                                 management tree page 28

                                 ELLEN M. LINDELL, VMD, DACVB, is the president of the American College of Veter-
                                 inary Behaviorists. Her behavior specialty practice is based in New York and Con-
                                 necticut. Dr. Lindell is a member of the Fear Free Advisory Panel, a certified Fear
                                 Free professional, and an approved Fear Free speaker. She is also a behavior consul-
                                 tant for Veterinary Information Network and has lectured extensively. Dr. Lindell
                                 has written chapters for several publications, including the BSAVA Manual of Canine
                                 and Feline Behavior, Blackwell’s 5-Minute Veterinary Consult, the newly updated Black-
                                 well’s 5-Minute Consult: Canine and Feline Behavior, and Decoding Your Dog.
                                 consult the expert page 10
                                 consult the expert page 30

                                 LAURA A. NAFE, DVM, MS, DACVIM (SAIM), is an assistant professor of small
                                 animal internal medicine at Oklahoma State University. She earned her DVM from
                                 University of Missouri, where she also completed a residency in small animal
                                 internal medicine. Dr. Nafe also completed a rotating internship in small animal
                                 medicine and surgery at North Carolina State University. Her clinical and research
                                 interests include respiratory, vector-borne, and immune-mediated disease.
                                 consult the expert page 17

4   cliniciansbrief.com   July 2020
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every
                                                                      pet
ELIZABETH A. ROZANSKI, DVM, DACVIM
(Small Animal), DACVECC, is an associate
professor of emergency medicine and criti-
cal care at Cummings School of Veterinary
                                                     Help your favorite
Medicine at Tufts University. She earned              animal charity
her DVM from University of Illinois and
completed an internship at University of          RECEIVE A
Minnesota and a residency in emergency
medicine and critical care at University of
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Pennsylvania. Her clinical interest is in
respiratory disease.                           Nominate them today as part
management tree page 28
                                                 of The Every Pet Project.
MARK TROXEL, DVM, DACVIM (Neurol-
ogy), is a neurologist and neurosurgeon at
Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospi-
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                                                ensure that EVERY PET,
his DVM from Iowa State University. He
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        July 2020    cliniciansbrief.com   5
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KITTEN DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES - Hey There, brief.vet Is A ...
IN THIS
ISSUE

ON THE COVER

CONSULT THE EXPERT
Developmental
Stages of Kittens
Ellen M. Lindell, VMD,
DACVB

     30
PG

                         10   CONSULT THE EXPERT
                              Developmental
                              Stages of Puppies
                                                               27   DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
                                                                    Thrombocytosis
                                                                    Julie Allen, BVMS, MS, MRCVS,
                              Ellen M. Lindell, VMD, DACVB          DACVIM (SAIM), DACVP

                         17   CONSULT THE EXPERT
                              Feline Asthma
                              Laura A. Nafe, DVM, MS, DACVIM
                                                               28   MANAGEMENT TREE
                                                                    Hemoabdomen
                                                                    Elizabeth A. Rozanski, DVM, DACVIM
                              (SAIM)                                (Small Animal), DACVECC
                                                                    Sarah E. Cudney, DVM

                                                               61   TOP 5
                                                                    Top 5 Causes of Passive
                                                                    Cervical Flexion
                                                                    Mark Troxel, DVM, DACVIM
                                                                    (Neurology)

                                                                July 2020    cliniciansbrief.com    7
KITTEN DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES - Hey There, brief.vet Is A ...
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23      SYMPOSIUM CAPSULES
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DEPARTMENT     h   CATEGORY     h   PEER REVIEWED

                          PANCREATIC
                           CONSULT THE EXPERT

                          DEVELOPMENTAL
                          BIOPSY
                          STAGES OF PUPPIES
                          Ron Ofri, DVM, PhD, DECVO
                          Ellen M.
                          Hebrew    Lindell,
                                 University     VMD, DACVB
                                            of Jerusalem
                          Rehovot, Israel
                          Veterinary Behavior Consultations
                          New York & Connecticut

10  cliniciansbrief.com   January 2016
MA
         any
           ntemortem
             dog owners
                      diagnosis
                        have certain
                                of
         expectations
           pancreatic regarding
                      disease is athe
         behavioral
           challenge.
                    traits
                      Histopathol-
                           of an ideal
canine
   ogy companion.
       remains the Most
                   gold standard
                        prefer their
                                  of
dogdto
      iagnosis
        be friendly,
               for pancreatic  neopla-
                     affectionate, and
responsive.   When these Pancreatic
   sia and pancreatitis.
            1
                          behavioral
expectations are notamet
   biopsy provides       or undesirable
                     definitive diag-
behaviors occur,
   nosis of      the risk for
            pancreatitis,     a dog being
                          assuming   a
relinquished or euthanized
    representative sample is increases.2,3
Theobtained.
   human–animal   bond
             An open     may weaken as
                     or laparo-
owners wait
  scopic    for puppies
         approach  can to
                        be “outgrow”
                           made to
undesirable  behaviors.
   collect samples.

                                         September 2015   cliniciansbrief.com   11
CONSULT THE EXPERT     h   BEHAVIOR    h   PEER REVIEWED

         The veterinary healthcare team plays an important       nication (eg, growling) and interactions (eg, play)
         role in ensuring puppies mature into well-behaved       are first observed during this period. Puppies
         dogs. With an understanding of normal develop-          become more aware of their environment and are
         ment, clinicians can be a primary source for            able to eliminate without maternal stimulation.
         providing appropriate guidance to owners during         Because puppies can move further from the
         the 4 developmental stages of dogs to help prevent      nesting area, this is an ideal time to introduce
         undesirable behaviors.                                  an appropriate elimination substrate.

         The 4 Developmental Stages                              Socialization Stage
         Behavioral development is integrated with physical      Socialization refers to the process of developing
         maturation and development of the nervous               appropriate social behaviors toward conspecifics.
         system. Puppy development is divided into 4 stages:     In practice, “socialization” is applied more broadly
         neonatal, transitional, socialization, and juvenile.4   to include the development of social behaviors
         However, these stages are not rigidly fixed;            toward any species and the process of adjustment
         different breeds may develop at different rates,5       to relevant environmental stimuli.
         and environmental factors can affect genetic
         expression. Prenatal conditions (eg, diet and           A sensitive period is considered a phase in which
         health of the dam) can influence puppy develop-         external stimuli are particularly likely to have a
         ment. Research in other species has shown that          long-term effect on development. Preferences are
         the offspring of mothers subjected to stressful         acquired more readily during this period.13 The
         handling are more sensitive to stressors.6,7 How-       sensitive period of socialization in puppies begins
         ever, these 4 periods continue to be useful reference   at 3 weeks of age and lasts until 12 to 14 weeks of
         points for discussions of puppy development.            age.8,9,12 Puppies that have not been socialized
                                                                 during this time have a tendency to react fearfully
         Neonatal Stage                                          to novel humans or situations.4
         The neonatal stage ranges from birth to ≈2 weeks
         of age; eyes are not yet open, and ear canals are       Controlled exposure to humans during the social-
         closed, so puppies experience the world mainly          ization period is crucial. Even small amounts of
         through touch and olfaction.8,9                         handling can result in beneficial effects. In one
                                                                 study, puppies not handled until 7 weeks of age
         Despite an immature nervous system, neonates            were more hesitant to approach humans than
         respond to their environment. In a study, puppies       were puppies handled at 3 to 5 weeks of age.14
         that received more maternal care during this            Puppies not handled until 14 weeks of age
         period scored higher for social and physical            remained persistently fearful and resistant to
         engagement as adults than those raised by less          handling.14
         attentive mothers.10 In another study, puppies
         gently handled by humans starting at 3 days of          Negative experiences during the sensitive period
         age were calmer and more confident at 8 weeks of        can also have a profound impact on behavioral
         age as compared with controls.11 Foster families        development. Abrupt weaning, particularly when
         and breeders should be advised to introduce soft        paired with sudden separation from littermates,
         handling of puppies as early as possible.               may have long-term consequences on behavior.
                                                                 Puppies removed from the dam and litter prior to
         Transitional Stage                                      6 weeks of age have been shown to be more fearful
         The transitional stage lasts ≈7 days (range, ≈14-21     and have exhibited more undesirable behaviors as
         days of age).8,12 Eyes and ears begin to function,      adults as compared with puppies that remain with
         and muscle coordination improves. Social commu-         the litter through 8 weeks of age.15,16

12   cliniciansbrief.com   July 2020
Juvenile Stage                                                 Healthy puppies of any age can begin to visit new
The juvenile stage represents the time from the end            places at least twice a week. Owners should take
of the socialization period to sexual maturity. Sex-           care to avoid locations frequented by dogs of
ual behavior is generally observed at ≈6 months of             unknown health and vaccination status. The
age, although it may be delayed in large and giant             puppy should be allowed to explore at its own
breeds.9                                                       comfortable pace. Bringing treats and toys can
                                                               make the experience more pleasant, but if the
Dogs remain behaviorally immature even after they              puppy becomes too frightened to play or take a
have reached sexual maturity. Large-breed dogs                 snack, the session should be ended.
may not mature socially until they are 18 months
of age or older.8 Because behavior problems are                The puppy should be introduced to a variety of
frequently reported during this period, adolescent             humans, beginning with quiet adults. Children
behavioral well-care visits should be encouraged.              that are old enough to be quiet and gentle with
                                                               dogs should then be introduced. Puppies can be
Designing a Socialization Program                              carefully socialized with healthy puppies and adult
It is never too early to start socializing a puppy,            dogs that are known to be gentle with puppies.
and, as long as the puppy remains calm and not
fearful, it is never too late to begin. The owner’s            For some puppies, even mild stimuli may seem
goals should be considered when customizing a                  overwhelming. The socialization plan for these
socialization program, and stimuli relevant to                 puppies should be modified accordingly. If fear is
their puppy’s future should be introduced.                     profound or persistent, a more in-depth behavioral

                                                                                                                   Continues h

THE 4 DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES

     NEONATAL STAGE              TRANSITIONAL STAGE              SOCIALIZATION STAGE                   JUVENILE STAGE
The neonatal stage ranges from    The transitional stage          The sensitive period of       The juvenile stage represents the
   birth to ≈2 weeks of age.       lasts ≈7 days (range,     socialization in puppies begins at      time from the end of the
                                  ≈14-21 days of age).8,12     3 weeks of age and lasts until     socialization period to sexual
                                                                 12 to 14 weeks of age.8,9,12      maturity. Sexual behavior is
                                                                                                generally observed at ≈6 months
                                                                                                    of age, although it may be
                                                                                                    delayed in large and giant
                                                                                                              breeds.9

                                                                                                July 2020       cliniciansbrief.com   13
CONSULT THE EXPERT     h     BEHAVIOR     h   PEER REVIEWED

         treatment plan should be discussed with the owner,         It is important to be aware that puppies do not
         and referral to a boarded veterinary behaviorist is        complete vaccinations until they are 12 to 16 weeks
         never premature. Repeated exposure in the face of          of age. However, a survey-based study found that
         profound fear can lead to sensitization and may not        the risk for a puppy contracting canine parvovirus
         be reversible.                                             at a socialization class is low,18 and inadequate
                                                                    behavioral inoculation may result in rehoming.
         Puppy Socialization Classes                                Evaluating enrollment requirements for local
         Puppy socialization classes are an opportunity             puppy classes may be beneficial in minimizing
         for puppies to learn how to behave calmly around           this risk. An instructor who requires initial vacci-
         humans and dogs. Puppies that attend socialization         nations and veterinary health certificates is ideal.
         classes are less likely to be rehomed than puppies         The classes should be well-run so that puppies are
         that do not attend similar classes.17                      not overwhelmed or frightened.

                                                                    The First Veterinary Visit
                                                                    History
                                                                    A brief behavioral history should be obtained for
           POLL                                                     all puppies. Owners should be asked about any
           Do you offer puppy socialization classes at              concerns they are experiencing with their puppy.
           your clinic?                                             Handouts should be provided to pet owners to
                                                                    help them manage normal but undesirable behav-
           A. Yes                                                   iors (eg, mouthing, house soiling, destructive
           B. No                                                    behavior, barking). Such behaviors typically do
           C. Not yet, but we are planning to in                   not resolve on their own and may often escalate if
               the future.                                          owners attempt inappropriate techniques based
                                                                    on their own research.
           Scan the QR code to submit your answer and see the
           other responses! The poll is located at the bottom of
                                                                    Physical & Behavioral Examination
           the article.
                                                                    Puppies are usually presented for initial examina-
                           Using QR codes from your mobile          tions while in their sensitive period for socializa-
                           device is easy and quick!                tion. Positive and negative experiences have a
                         Simply focus your phone’s camera on        profound impact on future behavior. Puppies that
           the QR code as if taking a picture (but don’t click!).   experience positive veterinary visits are more likely
           A notification banner will pop up at the top of your     to become cooperative patients that can receive
           screen; tap the banner to view the linked content.       good healthcare for years to come.

                                                                    Both physical and behavioral observations should
                                                                    be included in the patient’s medical record. Normal
                                                                    puppies will explore the room and relax during the
                                                                    physical examination,19 whereas fearful puppies
         A survey-based study                                       need special attention to assure a positive experi-

         found that the risk for a                                  ence; some may require behavioral therapy.

         puppy contracting canine                                   Behavior Monitoring
         parvovirus at a socialization                              Clinicians should follow up with owners to ensure
                                                                    they remain committed to providing excellent
         class is low.18                                            socialization opportunities for their puppy. As

14   cliniciansbrief.com      July 2020
puppies mature, new behavioral concerns often                                 improves the puppy’s ability to accept excellent
develop. A plan should be developed to provide                                medical care, and helps create a strong clinician–
behavioral check-ups every 4 to 6 months until                                owner–patient relationship. n
social maturity is reached.

Conclusion                                                                      RELATED ARTICLE
Clinicians are in a unique position to positively                               For a related article, please see
affect the social development of puppies. Early,                                Developmental Stages of Kittens
accurate behavioral advice increases the strength                               on page 30.
of the bond between the owner and the puppy,

References
 1. King T, Marston LC, Bennett PC. Describing the ideal Australian com-            D, eds. BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Behavioural Medicine. 2nd
    panion dog. Appl Anim Behavior Sci. 2009;120(1-2):84-93.                        ed. St. Louis, MO: Saunders Elsevier; 2013:122-161.
 2. Patronek GJ, Glickman LT, Beck AM, McCabe GP, Ecker C. Risk factors       13.   Bateson P. How do sensitive periods arise and what are they for? Anim
    for relinquishment of cats to an animal shelter. J Am Vet Med Assoc.            Behav. 1979;27(2):470-486.
    1996;209(3):582-588.                                                      14.   Friedman DG, King JA, Elliot O. Critical period in the social develop-
 3. Salman MD, Hutchinson JM, Ruch-Gaille R, Kogan LR. Behavioral                   ment of dogs. Science. 1961;133(3457):1016-1017.
    reasons for relinquishment of dogs and cats to 12 shelters. J Appl Anim   15.   Pierantoni L, Albertini M, Pirrone F. Prevalence of owner-reported
    Welf Sci. 2000;3(2):93-106.                                                     behaviours in dogs separated from the litter at two different ages.
 4. Scott JP, Fuller JL. Genetics and the Social Behavior of the Dog. Chi-          Vet Rec. 2011;169(18):468.
    cago, IL: The University of Chicago Press; 1965.                          16.   Slabbert JM, Rasa OA. The effect of early separation from the mother
 5. Morrow M, Ottobre J, Ottobre A, et al. Breed-dependent differences in           on pups in bonding to humans and pup health. J S Afr Vet Assoc.
    the onset of fear-related avoidance behavior in puppies. J Vet Behav.           1993;64(1):4-8.
    2015;10(4):286-294.                                                       17.   Duxbury MM, Jackson JA, Line SW, Anderson RK. Evaluation of associ-
 6. Champagne FA. Epigenetic mechanisms and the transgenerational                   ation between retention in the home and attendance at puppy social-
    effects of maternal care. Front Neuroendocrinol. 2008;29(3):386-397.            ization classes. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2003;223(1):61-66.
 7. Braastad BO, Osadchuk LV, Lund G, Bakken M. Effects of prenatal han-      18.   Stepita ME, Bain MJ, Kass PH. Frequency of CPV infection in vacci-
    dling stress on adrenal weight and behavior in novel situations in blue         nated puppies that attended puppy socialization classes. J Am Anim
    fox cubs Alopex lagopus. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 1998;57(1-2):157-169.             Hosp Assoc. 2013;49(2):95-100.
 8. Houpt KA. Development of behavior. In: Houpt KA. Domestic Animal          19.   Godbout M, Frank D. Persistence of puppy behaviors and signs of anxi-
    Behavior for Veterinarians and Animal Scientists. 6th ed. Ames, IA:             ety during adulthood. J Vet Behav. 2011;6(1):92.
    Wiley-Blackwell; 2018:163-190.
 9. Serpell J, Duffy D, Jagoe JA. Becoming a dog: early experience and
    the development of behavior. In: Serpell J, ed. The Domestic Dog: Its
                                                                              Suggested Reading
    Evolution, Behavior and Interactions with People. 2nd ed. Cambridge,      Fear Free. Fear Free: taking the “pet” out of “petrified.” Fear Free website.
    UK: Cambridge University Press; 2017:93-117.                                   https://fearfreepets.com. Accessed May 12, 2020.
10. Foyer P, Wilsson E, Jensen P. Levels of maternal care in dogs affect      Seksel K. Preventing behavior problems in puppies and kittens. Vet Clin
    adult offspring temperament. Sci Rep. 2016;6:19253.                            North Am Small Animal Practice. 2008;38(5):971-982.
11. Gazzano A, Mariti C, Notari L, Sighieri C, McBride A. Effects of early    Yin S. Perfect Puppy in 7 Days. Davis, CA: Cattle Dog publishing; 2011.
    gentling and early environment on emotional development of pup-           Zulch H, Mills D. Life Skills for Puppies: Laying the Foundation for a Loving,
    pies. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2008;110(3-4):294-304.                              Lasting Relationship. Hubble and Hattie Publishing; 2012.
12. Overall K. Normal canine behavior and ontogeny. In: Horwitz D, Mills

                                                                                                                      July 2020         cliniciansbrief.com    15
CONSULT THE EXPERT     h    RESPIRATORY MEDICINE   h   PEER REVIEWED

Feline
Asthma
Laura A. Nafe, DVM, MS,
DACVIM (SAIM)
Oklahoma State University

                                                                 dF
                                                                   IGURE 1 Ventrodorsal thoracic radiograph of an asthmatic
                                                                   cat demonstrating a diffuse bronchial pattern and collapse of
                                                                   the right middle lung lobe, which developed secondary to
                                                                   mucus accumulation and resulted in atelectasis

Feline asthma is a lower airway disease that                Hallmark clinical features of asthma include bronchoc-
                                                            onstriction, airway edema, airway eosinophilia, and
affects 1% to 5% of cats,1 most commonly                    excessive mucus production. The combination of these
young to middle-aged cats.1 Although median                 features can result in cough, tachypnea, and/or expira-
age on diagnosis has been reported to be 4                  tory dyspnea.1,3 Compounding airway edema, smooth
                                                            muscle bronchoconstriction, and mucus hypersecretion
to 5 years, most cats with asthma experience
                                                            can result in airflow limitation, which can be at least
clinical signs earlier in life.1 Classified as              partially reversible with bronchodilator therapy. If left
an allergic disease, feline asthma is the                   untreated, chronic airway inflammation can result in
                                                            irreversible airway remodeling.
result of a type-1 hypersensitivity to specific
aeroallergens.2 This immune response results
                                                            Clinical Signs
in cytokine release and elaboration that can                Clinical signs associated with feline asthma include
ultimately cause pathologic airway changes.                 cough, tachypnea, open-mouth breathing, and/or

                                                                                    July 2020      cliniciansbrief.com       17
CONSULT THE EXPERT       h    RESPIRATORY MEDICINE   h   PEER REVIEWED

         respiratory distress, typically characterized by a       and antibody testing), imaging (eg, thoracic radi-
         prolonged expiratory phase of respiration and            ography, thoracic ultrasonography, CT, bronchos-
         abdominal push. Some patients may have only one          copy, echocardiography), airway sampling, and
         of these clinical signs, whereas others may have         additional diagnostic testing (eg, airway cytology)
         both a chronic cough and intermittent exacerba-          to rule out other causes of eosinophilic airway
         tions resulting in respiratory distress with expira-     inflammation.
         tory effort.3 Accordingly, clinical signs can be
         episodic and vary in severity, from a mild, intermit-    Physical examination may be normal or may
         tent cough to life-threatening dyspnea (ie, status       reveal tachypnea, inducible cough on tracheal
         asthmaticus). Pet owners may struggle to identify a      palpation, and/or abnormalities on thoracic aus-
         true cough and may be confused with “vomiting            cultation (eg, increased bronchovesicular sounds,
         hairballs” without production of a hairball.             expiratory wheezes). Classic radiographic findings
                                                                  include a diffuse bronchial or bronchointerstitial
         Diagnosis                                                pattern, hyperinflation due to air trapping, and/or
         Definitive diagnosis of feline asthma can be             collapse of the right middle lung lobe due to mucus
         challenging due to clinical features that overlap        plug obstruction (Figure 1, previous page).3,4
         with various other cardiopulmonary conditions,           Because ≈20% of asthmatic cats have normal tho-
         including chronic bronchitis, heartworm-                 racic radiographs, asthma should remain on the
         associated respiratory disease, and pulmonary            differential list for any cat with respiratory dis-
         parasitic disease. Diagnosis can be facilitated          tress and normal thoracic radiographs.5 In addi-
         through a combination of consistent historical           tion, a bronchial or bronchointerstitial pattern is
         information, clinical signs (ie, cough and/or respi-     also the predominant pulmonary pattern seen in
         ratory distress), physical examination, laboratory       cats with chronic bronchitis and/or heartworm-
         data (eg, CBC, serum chemistry profile, fecal flota-     associated respiratory disease, making it challeng-
         tion and analysis, urinalysis, heartworm antigen         ing to differentiate these conditions from asthma
                                                                  via only physical examination and radiography.

                                                                  Bronchoscopy may be used in asthmatic cats to
                                                                  evaluate airway structure and collect bronchoalve-

         Because ≈20% of asthmatic                                olar lavage fluid (BALF) for cytology, culture and
                                                                  susceptibility testing, and Mycoplasma spp PCR
         cats have normal thoracic                                testing. Alternatively, blind bronchoalveolar

         radiographs, asthma                                      lavage may also be performed in cats that show
                                                                  diffuse radiographic changes. Clinicians should
         should remain on the                                     be cautious when interpreting BALF culture and
                                                                  Mycoplasma spp PCR results in combination with
         differential list for any cat                            BALF cytology results, as airways (especially the
         with respiratory distress                                trachea) are not sterile and the presence of bacte-
                                                                  ria or Mycoplasma spp does not equate to active
         and normal thoracic                                      infection.6
         radiographs.5
                                                                  Bronchoscopy findings are often nonspecific in
                                                                  asthmatic patients and may include excessive
                                                                  mucus accumulation, airway hyperemia, and/or
                                                                  epithelial irregularities.1 Eosinophilic airway
           BALF = bronchoalveolar lavage fluid                    inflammation is characteristic of but not specific to

18   cliniciansbrief.com       July 2020
asthma (Figure 2), as parasitic disease commonly        heart murmur or gallop rhythm and perform cage-
results in airway eosinophilia. Historically, eosino-   side thoracic ultrasonography to assess for pleural
philic airway inflammation has been defined as          effusion and/or pulmonary edema (eg, presence of
>17% eosinophils present in BALF; however, recent       B lines). If other causes of respiratory distress are
evidence suggests that >5% eosinophils is consid-       not evident on initial evaluation, intervention
ered abnormal in feline BALF.7,8 Clinicians should      with a bronchodilator for possible asthma may be
evaluate BALF eosinophil percentage in light of         warranted.
clinical signs and concurrent conditions associated
with eosinophilia (eg, allergic skin disease). Most     Management of chronic feline asthma is aimed at
asthmatic cats typically have significant BALF          reducing airway inflammation and preventing or
eosinophilia; some can have lower eosinophil and        reducing airflow-limiting bronchoconstriction.1
higher neutrophil numbers, particularly in chronic      Reduced inflammation is best achieved by minimiz-
asthma cases. A heartworm antigen and antibody          ing exposure to aeroallergens and environmental
test, fecal flotation, and Baermann test should be      irritants (eg, aerosols, dust) and administration of
performed in all cases. In addition, the author com-    oral glucocorticoids (eg, prednisolone). Minimiz-
monly institutes empiric antiparasitic treatment,       ing environmental allergens is best achieved by
even if results are negative.                           reducing exposure to known allergens (eg, elimi-
                                                        nating outdoor access), cleaning bedding and other
Treatment & Management                                  surfaces in the household frequented by the cat,
Management of feline asthma consists of both            and using an air filter to improve air quality. Oral
acute and chronic treatment strategies. Clinicians      glucocorticoid (prednisolone) therapy should be
and owners should understand that asthma is not         initiated at a dose of 1-2 mg/kg/day. The dose may
a condition that can be cured; lifelong environ-        be tapered by 25% to 50% every 2 to 4 weeks
mental and medical management are necessary.            depending on clinical response. The goal is to
                                                        taper steroids to the lowest effective dose.
Cats presented in status asthmaticus require acute
management consisting of supplemental oxygen,                                                                          Continues h
stress reduction and minimal handling, and bron-
chodilator therapy (eg, inhaled albuterol [via
metered dose inhaler], injectable terbutaline). In
the author’s clinical experience, injectable terbu-
taline is preferred over inhaled albuterol in the
emergency setting, as cats in respiratory distress
typically may not inspire deeply enough to appro-
priately deliver inhaled medication to the lower
airways. Identifying an expiratory respiratory pat-
tern can be suggestive of bronchoconstriction and
may lead the clinician to implement early inter-
vention with bronchodilator therapy. Expiratory
respiratory patterns are characterized by an
abdominal push during exhalation. If an obvious
expiratory pattern is not identified, evaluation for
other causes of respiratory distress (eg, pleural
effusion, congestive heart failure) should be per-
                                                        d FIGURE 2 BALF cytology from a cat demonstrating a predominance of
formed prior to empiric treatment with a broncho-         eosinophils (arrows), which is characteristic of feline asthma. Image
dilator. Clinicians should evaluate patients for a        courtesy of Dr. Susan Fielder, Oklahoma State University

                                                                                        July 2020      cliniciansbrief.com        19
CONSULT THE EXPERT     h   RESPIRATORY MEDICINE      h   PEER REVIEWED

         Inhalant Therapy                                          S-enantiomer; however, racemic albuterol can be
         Some cats can be transitioned to receiving only           used at home by owners for rescue as needed.11
         inhaled steroid therapy (eg, fluticasone) to mini-        Oral terbutaline or theophylline may also be used
         mize the systemic adverse effects of oral glucocorti-     for chronic bronchodilator therapy. Although
         coids and maintained on inhaled glucocorticoids           many patients may need bronchodilator therapy
         alone for long-term management.9 It is important to       initially, once airway inflammation is controlled
         overlap the inhaled steroid with oral glucocorticoid      with glucocorticoid therapy, many can be weaned
         therapy, as it is believed that inhaled glucocorti-       off bronchodilators long-term and managed as
         coids require ≈2 weeks to achieve full clinical effect.   needed. In addition, feline asthma should never
         Although the author frequently initiates inhaled          be managed with bronchodilator therapy alone,
         fluticasone at a dose of 110 μg every 12 hours, a         as bronchodilators will not address airway
         study evaluating inhaled fluticasone in cats with         inflammation, which is an integral component
         experimentally induced asthma found that airway           of controlling asthma.
         eosinophilia was controlled with a variety of doses,
         including 44 μg, 110 μg, and 220 μg, administered         Additional Therapeutic Options
         every 12 hours.9 The efficacy of lower-dose flutica-      Various other therapeutic drugs (ie, cyprohepta-
         sone has not been evaluated in cats with naturally        dine, cetirizine, nebulized lidocaine, maropitant)
         occurring asthma. In cats with concurrent condi-          have been investigated for management of experi-
         tions in which systemic glucocorticoids are contra-       mentally induced asthma in cats12-14; although
         indicated (eg, congestive heart failure, diabetes         some show promise in reducing airflow limitation,
         mellitus), inhaled glucocorticoid therapy and/or          none have been shown to be effective as monother-
         oral cyclosporine may be considered.9,10                  apy for management of feline asthma. As a result,
                                                                   these other therapeutics can be considered as
         Bronchodilator Therapy                                    adjunctive treatments along with glucocorticoids.
         Chronic bronchodilator therapy is not necessary           Immunotherapy and mesenchymal stem cell ther-
         in all cats with asthma and is only recommended           apy have shown promise as future novel therapeu-
         in patients that have signs associated with bron-         tics and warrant further investigation both in cats
         choconstriction (eg, respiratory distress, episodic       that have experimental and naturally occurring
         tachypnea). Inhaled racemic albuterol should not          asthma.15,16
         be used for chronic management of bronchocon-
         striction due to the proinflammatory effects of the       Prognosis & Prevention
                                                                   Prognosis for feline asthma is typically good with
                                                                   prompt diagnosis and appropriate management.
                                                                   Status asthmaticus, however, is a potentially
                                                                   life-threatening manifestation of asthma in cats,
         Prognosis for feline                                      especially if not recognized and treated appropri-
                                                                   ately in the emergency setting. Prevention is chal-
         asthma is typically good                                  lenging, as it is impossible to truly prevent the onset
         with prompt diagnosis and                                 of an allergic condition like asthma. Prevention
                                                                   and/or reduction of clinical signs can be achieved
         appropriate management.                                   through avoidance of known aeroallergens.

                                                                   Clinical Follow-Up & Monitoring
                                                                   Follow-up evaluation is necessary for successful
                                                                   chronic management of cats with asthma. Clini-
                                                                   cians should decide whether to reduce a steroid

20   cliniciansbrief.com   July 2020
dose based on clinical signs, physical examination,
thoracic radiography, and, occasionally, resolution
of airway eosinophilia. Long-term management of                               POLL
feline asthma is aimed at lowering glucocorticoid
doses to the lowest effective dose that controls clini-                       Approximately what percentage of your
cal signs and airway inflammation. Some patients                              feline asthma patients are maintained on
may be transitioned to inhaled glucocorticoid ther-                           inhaled glucocorticoids?
apy (eg, fluticasone) using a space chamber to aid                            A. 100%
drug delivery. Patients started on bronchodilator                             B. 75% to 99%
therapy can often be tapered off once airway                                  C. 50% to 74%
inflammation is controlled.                                                   D. 25% to 49%
                                                                              E. 1% to 24%
Feline asthma patients are generally responsive to                            F. I do not use inhaled glucocorticoids for
treatment with a glucocorticoid ± bronchodilator.                                 my feline asthma patients.
In feline respiratory patients unresponsive to stan-
dard asthma therapy, the diagnosis should be                                  Scan the QR code to submit your answer and see
reconsidered and further diagnostics pursued. n                               the other responses! The poll is located at the
                                                                              bottom of the article.

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References
1. Trzil JE. Feline asthma: diagnostic and treatment update. Vet Clin          J Feline Med Surg. 2010;12(2):91-96.
   North Am Small Anim Pract. 2020;50(2):375-391.                          10. Nafe LA, Leach SB. Treatment of feline asthma with ciclosporin in a
2. Reinero CR. Advances in the understanding of pathogenesis, and              cat with diabetes mellitus and congestive heart failure. J Feline Med
   diagnostics and therapeutics for feline allergic asthma. Vet J.             Surg. 2015;17(12):1073-1076.
   2011;190(1):28-33.                                                      11. Reinero CR, Delgado C, Spinka C, DeClue AE, Dhand R. Enantiomer-
3. Corcoran BM, Foster DJ, Fuentes VL. Feline asthma syndrome: a               specific effects of albuterol on airway inflammation in healthy and
   retrospective study of the clinical presentation in 29 cats. J Small        asthmatic cats. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2009;150(1):43-50.
   Anim Pract. 1995;36(11):481-488.                                        12. Grobman M, Graham A, Outi H, Dodam JR, Reinero CR. Chronic
4. Foster SF, Allan GS, Martin P, Robertson ID, Malik R. Twenty-five           neurokinin-1 receptor antagonism fails to ameliorate clinical
   cases of feline bronchial disease (1995-2000). J Feline Med Surg.           signs, airway hyper-responsiveness or airway eosinophilia in
   2004;6(3):181-188.                                                          an experimental model of feline asthma. J Feline Med Surg.
5. Adamama-Moraitou KK, Patsikas MN, Koutinas AF. Feline lower                 2016;18(4):273-279.
   airway disease: a retrospective study of 22 naturally occurring cases   13. Nafe LA, Guntur VP, Dodam JR, Lee-Fowler TM, Cohn LA, Reinero
   from Greece. J Feline Med Surg. 2004;6(4):227-233.                          CR. Nebulized lidocaine blunts airway hyper-responsiveness in
6. Schulz BS, Richter P, Weber K, et al. Detection of feline Mycoplasma        experimental feline asthma. J Feline Med Surg. 2013;15(8):712-716.
   species in cats with feline asthma and chronic bronchitis. J Feline     14. Schooley EK, McGee Turner JB, Jiji RD, Spinka CM, Reinero CR.
   Med Surg. 2014;16(12):943-949.                                              Effects of cyproheptadine and cetirizine on eosinophilic airway
7. Hawkins EC, DeNicola DB, Kuehn NF. Bronchoalveolar lavage in the            inflammation in cats with experimentally induced asthma. Am J Vet
   evaluation of pulmonary disease in the dog and cat. State of the art.       Res. 2007;68(11):1265-1271.
   J Vet Intern Med. 1990;4(5):267-274.                                    15. Reinero CR, Byerly JR, Berghaus RD, et al. Rush immunotherapy
8. Shibly S, Klang A, Galler A, et al. Architecture and inflammatory           in an experimental model of feline allergic asthma. Vet Immunol
   cell composition of the feline lung with special consideration of           Immunopathol. 2006;110(1-2):141-153.
   eosinophil counts. J Comp Pathol. 2014;150(4):408-415.                  16. Trzil JE, Masseau I, Webb TL, et al. Long-term evaluation of
9. Cohn LA, DeClue AE, Cohen RL, Reinero CR. Effects of fluticasone            mesenchymal stem cell therapy in a feline model of chronic allergic
   propionate dosage in an experimental model of feline asthma.                asthma. Clin Exp Allergy. 2014;44(12):1546-1557.

                                                                                                                July 2020         cliniciansbrief.com   21
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SYMPOSIUM CAPSULES

SYMPOSIUM
CAPSULES

                          My Patient Has                                    are usually contraindicated in patients with
                                                                            cardiac disease due to severe vasoconstriction

2019 International        a Heart Murmur;                                   and reflex bradycardia. Combining an opioid
                                                                            and benzodiazepine is typically safe in seda-
Veterinary Emergency
& Critical Care Society
                          Can I Sedate or                                   tion protocols, and the drugs work synergisti-

                          Anesthetize?                                      cally. Alfaxalone is safe in smaller doses (eg, 1-2
                                                                            mg/kg IV or IM) as part of a sedation protocol
                                                                            or to prolong sedation after administration
September 6-10, 2019                                                        of another sedative combination. Likewise,
Washington, DC                                                              ketamine at 1-2 mg/kg can be useful for pro-
                          It can be difficult to determine the pathology
                          underlying a heart murmur and whether that        longing sedation. Both can be administered in
                          pathology is significant enough to warrant a      patients with or without heart murmurs.
                          delay or special drug protocol for sedation or
                          anesthesia. Thoracic radiography can pro-         Propofol, alfaxalone, and a combination of
                          vide insights into cardiac disease through        ketamine with a benzodiazepine are gener-
                          assessment of heart size (especially the left     ally safe for induction, especially when used
                          atrium), pulmonary vessel size, and presence      with appropriate premedications. Analgesics,
                          of pulmonary edema.                               as well as locoregional anesthesia, decrease
                                                                            the amount of inhalant anesthetic needed,
                          Opioids, benzodiazepines, ketamine, and tra-      thereby minimizing adverse effects. Inhalant
                          zodone do not significantly impact the cardio-    induction is contraindicated in patients due
                          vascular system and are generally considered      to increased stress, which can result in tachy-
                          safe in animals. Fentanyl and other potent opi-   cardia that may compromise cardiac output.
                          oids may induce vagally mediated bradycar-        Preoxygenation may help prevent or limit
                          dia, and meperidine and morphine can cause        tissue hypoxia. The total amount of IV fluid
                          histamine release, leading to hypotension.        administered during anesthesia or sedation
                          In cats with cardiomyopathy, ketamine may         should be limited (unless indicated as part of
                          cause catecholamine-associated tachycardia        treatment), particularly in patients with left
                          that can decrease cardiac output. α2 agonists     atrial enlargement.—Brainard BM

SAVE THE DATE

2020 International
Veterinary Emergency
& Critical Care Society

September 12-16, 2020
St. Louis, Missouri

                                                                                    July 2020   cliniciansbrief.com  23
SYMPOSIUM CAPSULES

The Cons                                    with immunity and coagulation. New
                                            research has identified the ESL, which
                                                                                           integrity rather than on intravascular
                                                                                           colloid osmotic pressure. Circulating
of Colloids:                                is a fragile semipermeable layer, as the
                                            main barrier controlling vascular fluid
                                                                                           intravascular volume is smaller than
                                                                                           previously thought, so IV fluid bolus vol-
How to Feel                                 and macromolecule shifts; intravascular        umes may be safely reduced, possibly

Comfortable                                 colloid osmotic pressure plays a lesser
                                            role than previously believed. Albumin
                                                                                           further protecting the ESL.

Not Using                                   is vital to the integrity and selective per-
                                            meability of the ESL; however, subphysi-
                                                                                           Colloids may cause harm when used in
                                                                                           place of a balanced crystalloid solution;
Colloids                                    ologic concentrations may be adequate,         however, patients with systemic inflam-
                                            and it is becoming increasingly evident        matory response syndrome unrespon-
                                            that focus should be on providing suf-         sive to crystalloids may still respond to
Colloid therapy has recognized risks;       ficient albumin for maintaining ESL            colloid therapy.—Hughes D
new data on transvascular fluid move-
ment involving the glycocalyx and endo-
thelial surface layer (ESL) have provided
further support for limiting colloid use.   Circulating intravascular volume is smaller
Colloids are extravasated into the inter-
stitium faster than previously thought.     than previously thought, so IV fluid bolus
In some tissue, colloid molecules can
persist for long periods, potentially
                                            volumes may be safely reduced, possibly
causing tissue damage and interference      further protecting the ESL.

Use & Misuse                                was then used in a prospective fixed-
                                            order crossover clinical trial comparing
                                                                                           yet been studied in epileptic cats,
                                                                                           and its clinical efficacy is unknown. In
of Transdermal                              transdermal and oral phenobarbital
                                            in 9 epileptic cats. A dose of 9 mg/kg
                                                                                           addition, the use of extended-release
                                                                                           levetiracetam was evaluated in 9
& Extended-                                 every 12 hours resulted in poor correla-       healthy cats weighing ≥11 lb (5 kg).

Release                                     tion between transdermal dosage and
                                            serum phenobarbital concentrations,
                                                                                           Cats were given extended-release
                                                                                           levetiracetam at 500 mg (≈100 mg/
Anticonvulsant                              requiring more dosage adjustments
                                            than oral administration; however, 6
                                                                                           kg) once daily for 10 days. Serum
                                                                                           concentrations measured above the
Drugs in Cats                               out of 9 owners preferred transdermal          minimum human therapeutic range,
                                            over oral administration.                      and patients had few adverse effects;
                                                                                           however, serum therapeutic ranges
                                            Transdermal levetiracetam at 60 mg/kg          have yet to be established in cats or
Difficulties in giving an epileptic cat     every 8 hours was also investigated in         dogs with epilepsy. Clinicians should
oral medication multiple times a day        8 healthy cats using the same trans-           exercise caution when prescribing this
can lead to suboptimal serum pheno-         dermal carrier molecule as was used in         medication for cats, stay aware of the
barbital concentrations. In this study,     the transdermal phenobarbital study.           gap in clinical efficacy studies, and be
2 transdermal phenobarbital formu-          After 7 days, serum concentrations were        able to communicate this information
lations in healthy cats were evaluated      above the minimum human therapeutic            to owners when discussing novel
and demonstrated adequate absorp-           range at all time points; however,             anticonvulsant treatment.—Barnes
tion. The owner-preferred formulation       transdermal levetiracetam has not              Heller HL

24     cliniciansbrief.com      July 2020
Difficult Vascular                            landmark placement, but veterinary
                                              studies are lacking.
                                                                                           Venous cutdown is typically used
                                                                                           as a last resort. Contraindications
Access                                        Because the IO space can be considered
                                                                                           for this method include trauma to
                                                                                           the site, infection in the area being
                                              continuous with and equivalent to the        catheterized, and coagulopathies.
                                              IV space, IO catheters are ideal in unsta-   Complications are relatively rare, and
There are several options for achieving       ble patients with poor hemodynamic           catheter removal within 12 to 24 hours
successful vascular access in cases in        status or patients too small to easily       is recommended.—Boysen S
which landmark-based IV catheter place-       place an IV catheter. In older patients, a
ment has failed. In stable patients, ultra-   manual or automated IO device or bone
sound-guided IV catheter placement can        marrow biopsy needle can be used to
be used; in unstable patients, intraos-       penetrate the bony cortex. In younger
seous (IO) catheters and venous cut-          patients with a softer cortex, regular       Most fluids
downs are preferred. Ultrasound-guided        18-g to 25-g hypodermic needles ± a
catheter placement is recommended if          manual IO device or 18-g to 22-g spinal      and medications
cases are complicated by hematomas,
if there is difficulty finding landmarks,
                                              needles can be used. Contraindications
                                              to IO catheters include patients with a
                                                                                           given IV can
in the presence of edema or obesity,          compromised or fractured target limb,        also be given IO.
and/or if blind catheter placement fails      acute infection at the insertion site,
after 3 attempts. Studies in humans           and/or previous orthopedic surgery
show higher success rates, faster time        with hardware at the insertion site.
to placement, and lower complication          Most fluids and medications given IV
rates with this method than with blind/       can also be given IO.

Management of                                 is preferred for contaminated wounds,
                                              although secondary healing via granula-
                                                                                           repaired using standard reconstruction
                                                                                           techniques; resection and anastomosis
Cervical Bite                                 tion may be the only alternative.            can be performed in patients with signif-
                                                                                           icant damage. Approximately 25% of the
Wounds                                        Patients with cervical bite wounds can       trachea can be safely resected without
                                              have airway trauma, which should be          significant compromise. One or both
                                              suspected with SC emphysema, signifi-        jugular veins can be ligated or occluded
                                              cant hemorrhage, and/or swelling in the      to control hemorrhage. Dogs—not cats—
The intricate anatomy and number of           pharyngeal area. Radiography may help        can tolerate bilateral occlusion or liga-
vital structures in the cervical region can   localize the injury. Patients with ongoing   tion of the carotid arteries. A temporary
make treatment for injuries to this area      bleeding, respiratory distress, and/or       tracheostomy and/or gastrostomy tube
complex. Normal recommendations               deep tissue plane disruption require sur-    may be indicated.
for bite wound management—includ-             gical exploration to evaluate for injury
ing exploration, debridement, flushing,       to the trachea, esophagus, and deeper        Spinal trauma from bite wounds should
bandaging, and surgical repair as indi-       structures. Laryngeal function should        be treated as with any spinal cord injury;
cated—should be used. Systemic anti-          be assessed on anesthetic induction in       additional complications (eg, soft tissue
biotic therapy should be used promptly,       patients with severe cervical injury or in   damage, vertebral fracture, bacterial
preferably within 3 hours of injury, to       cases in which there is preoperative evi-    contamination) must be addressed.
address potential bacteria (eg, Pasteu-       dence of inspiratory stridor. Care should
rella spp, Staphylococcus spp, Strepto-       be taken not to damage the vagosym-          Although there is a wide range of mor-
coccus spp) in the wound. Contraindica-       pathetic trunk or recurrent laryngeal        tality rates for cervical injuries, with
tions to primary wound closure include        nerves.                                      appropriate treatment, prognosis can be
tension, infection, and/or questionable                                                    excellent.—Taney K n
tissue viability. Delayed primary closure     Tracheal damage can be surgically

                                                                                             July 2020   cliniciansbrief.com  25
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DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS     h   INTERNAL MEDICINE             h    PEER REVIEWED

Thrombocytosis
Julie Allen, BVMS, MS, MRCVS, DACVIM (SAIM), DACVP

FOR MORE                       Following are differential                                  References
Find more Differential                                                                     Athanasiou LV, Polizopoulou ZS, Papavasileiou EG,
Diagnosis lists in             diagnoses for patients presented                               Mpairamoglou EL, Kantere MC, Rousou XA. Magnitude
                                                                                              of reactive thrombocytosis and associated clinical
upcoming issues of             with thrombocytosis.                                           conditions in dogs. Vet Rec. 2017;181(10):267.
Clinician’s Brief and on                                                                   Koprivnikar J, Kessler CM. Thrombocytosis: essential
                                                                                              thrombocythemia and reactive causes. In: Kitchens CS,
cliniciansbrief.com              Drug-induced response (eg, to vincristine,
                               h	                                                            Kessler CM, Konkle BA, eds. Consultative Hemostasis
                                                                                              and Thrombosis. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier
                                   epinephrine, possibly a glucocorticoid)                    Saunders; 2013:298-323.
                                 Iron deficiency
                               h	                                                         Kuku I, Kaya E, Yologlu S, Gokdeniz R, Baydin A. Platelet
                                                                                              counts in adults with iron deficiency anemia. Platelets.
                                 Physiologic reaction
                               h	                                                            2009;20(6):401-405.
                                 • T           o epinephrine (eg, due to trauma, exer-   Rizzo F, Tappin SW, Tasker S. Thrombocytosis in cats: a
                                                                                              retrospective study of 51 cases (2000-2005). J Feline
                                               cise, or excitement)                           Med Surg. 2007;9(4):319-325.
                                  • Postsplenectomy                                       Tefferi A, Barbui T. Polycythemia vera and essential
                                                                                              thrombocythemia: 2019 update on diagnosis,
                               h	 Primary thrombocytosis                                     risk-stratification and management. Am J Hematol.
                                   • Acute megakaryocytic leukemia                           2019;94(1):133-143.
                                                                                           van der Meer W, MacKenzie MA, Dinnissen JWB, de Keijzer
                                    • Chronic myeloproliferative disease                     MH. Pseudoplatelets: a retrospective study of their
                               		 –Chronic basophilic leukemia                                incidence and interference with platelet counting. J Clin
                                                                                              Pathol. 2003;56(10):772-774.
                               		 –Chronic myeloid leukemia                                Vo QT, Thompson DF. A review and assessment of
                               		 –Essential thrombocythemia                                  drug-induced thrombocytosis. Ann Pharmacother.
                                                                                              2019;53(5):523-536.
                               		 –Other myelodysplastic/
                                                 myeloproliferative neoplasm
                               		 –Polycythemia vera
                               		 –Primary myelofibrosis
                               h	   Pseudothrombocytosis
                                     • R       BC ghosts or fragments, fragile

                                               leukocytes, microorganisms, or lipemia
                               h	    Reactive thrombocytosis
                                      • H      ematopoietic/nonhematopoietic

                                               neoplasia
                                       • Hyperadrenocorticism
                                        • Infection
                                         • I nflammation (eg, immune-mediated
                                               or hepatobiliary disease)
                                          • Postsplenectomy
                                           • Rebound from thrombocytopenia
                                            • Trauma n

                                                                                                  July 2020         cliniciansbrief.com             27
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