Prednicortone Diagnostic Disorders Case Study

Major presenting problem Animal presented with anorexia, swollen abdomen, depression, lethargy, and pyrexia with temp 39.9°C.

Brief clinical history The patient had been spayed six months prior with a mild post-operative infection but was treated effectively, and no previous medical conditions. The patient was up to date on vaccinations had been correctly treated for endo- and ectoparasites. The patient was not on any ongoing medication and had no known allergies. There had been no change in diet and the animal lives in a house with one other dog who showed no signs of illness, with one walk per day. The patient had visited a different veterinary hospital a few days prior for being depressed and anorexic for three days. Prednisolone (Prednicortone

A small patch on the ventral aspect of the neck was clipped and wiped with a spirit swab to acquire a jugular vein sample aseptically. A 2ml syringe was used with a 21 gauge needle and the sample was placed in an EDTA tube for testing. The test revealed slightly low albumin and slightly low glucose but all other values were normal. Hypoalbuminemia is frequently found in septic peritonitis cases and may be caused by leakage through inflamed peritoneal membranes or “denaturation of albumin at sites of inflammation” (Craft & Powell, 2012). Hypoalbuminemia may be a cause of ascites as it causes low oncotic pressure, allowing fluid to drift out into the interstitial space. The slightly low glucose may be attributed to the patient’s

This procedure was carried out while patient was still sedated from radiography. A small area on the ventral midline of the abdomen over the umbilicus was clipped and aseptically prepared with the patient in lateral recumbency. A 21 gauge 1 ½ inch needle was inserted through the abdomen until fluid appeared in the hub. The needle was twisted until fluid flowed and was caught in a kidney dish. The fluid was transferred to an EDTA tube for cytology, and plain sample tubes for external biochemistry and bacteriology testing. Errors include introducing infection which was not previously present (Walters, 2003). The fluid was malodourous and purulent and external laboratory ascitic fluid analysis confirmed septic