Vet Times

Tag: diagnosis

  • Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in cats – prognosis

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    The prognosis of a cat with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is highly variable. Some cats may develop only mild hypertrophy and suffer little compromise of heart function, while others progress to more severe disease. HCM may worsen quickly over a period of months, or it may progress slowly over several years. Its severity may not change…

  • Diagnosis of diabetes insipidus

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    There are three basic causes for diabetes insipidus (DI): a defect in antidiuretic hormone (ADH); a defect in the kidney’s response to ADH; or psychogenic polydipsia. The diagnosis of DI can be challenging. Tests include: blood and urine tests – complete panels to rule out diabetes mellitus, kidney and liver disease a water deprivation test…

  • Feline asthma

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    A young cat in good condition with a history of coughing and mixed dyspnoea with increased abdominal effort on expiration is most likely to have feline asthma. Although chest radiographs are necessary to confirm, harsh lung sounds in all fields and the absence of a heart murmur or gallop rhythm makes the diagnosis of asthma…

  • The possibility of failure

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    A week before the December exams, I found myself making the five-hour train journey south to not-so-sunny Leicestershire for the first time since I left for uni in September. This wasn’t because I couldn’t stand being away from the horses for a minute longer (though it was starting to get that way), but because I wanted to go back for the…