Small Animal Medical Differential Diagnosis

Part One - CLINICAL SIGNS APPROACH TO DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS 1.Abdominal Distention 2.Abdominal Effusions and Ascites 3.Abdominal Pain, Acute 4.Aggressive Behavior, Cats 5.Aggressive Behavior, Dogs 6.Alopecia 7.Anaphylaxis 8.Anuria and Oliguria 9.Anxiety and Phobias 10.Ascites (see Abdominal Effusions and Ascites) 11.Ataxia and Incoordination 12.Blindness 13.Bradycardia, Sinus 14.Cachexia and Muscle Wasting 15.Compulsive Behavior Disorders 16.Constipation 17.Coughing 18.Cyanosis 19.Deafness 20.Diarrhea, Acute 21.Diarrhea, Chronic 22.Dyschezia (see Tenesmus and Dyschezia) 23.Dysphagia 24.Dyspnea 25.Dysuria (see Stranguria, Dysuria, and Pollakiuria) 26.Ecchymoses (See Petechiae and Ecchymoses) 27.Edema 28.Epistaxis 29.Failure to Grow/Failure to Thrive 30.Fever of Unknown Origin 31.Flatulence 32.Gagging 33.Halitosis 34.Head Tilt 35.Hematemesis 36.Hematochezia 37.Hematuria 38.Hemoptysis 39.Hemorrhage, Prolonged 40.Horner's Syndrome 41.Hyperthermia 42.Hypothermia 43.Icterus (Jaundice) 44.Inappropriate Elimination 45.Incontinence, Fecal 46.Incontinence, Urinary 47.Infertility, Female (Canine) 48.Infertility, Male (Canine) 49.Joint Swelling 50.Lameness 51.Lymphadenopathy (Lymph Node Enlargement) 52.Melena 53.Muscle Wasting (See Cachexia and Muscle Wasting) 54.Nasal Discharge (See Sneezing and Nasal Discharge) 55.Nystagmus 56.Obesity 57.Oliguria (See Anuria and Oliguria) 58.Pallor 59.Paresis and Paralysis 60.Petechiae and Ecchymoses 61.Pollakiuria (see Stranguria, Dysuria, and Pollakiuria) 62.Polyuria and Polydipsia 63.Pruritus 64.Ptyalism (Excessive Salivation) 65.Regurgitation 66.Seizure 67.Sneezing and Nasal Discharge 68.Stertor and Stridor 69.Stranguria, Dysuria, and Pollakiuria 70.Stomatitis 71.Stupor and Coma 72.Syncope 73.Tachycardia 74.Tenesmus and Dyschezia 75.Tremor 76.Urine, Discolored 77.Urticaria 78.Vision Loss, Sudden (see Blindness) 79.Vomiting 80.Weakness 81.Weight Gain (See Obesity) 82.Weight Loss (See Cachexia and Muscle Wasting) Part TWO - SYSTEMIC APPROACH TO DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS Section I - CARDIOPULMONARY DISORDERS 1.Diseases or Clinical Signs Associated with Systemic Hypertension 2.Causes of Sinus Tachycardia 3.Causes of Sinus Bradycardia 4.Differential Diagnosis for Pericardial Effusion 5.Causes of Chronic Heart Failure 6.Clinical Features of Cardiac Murmurs 7.Grading of Heart Murmurs 8.Differential Diagnosis for Common Arrhythmias 9.Differential Diagnosis for Cardiomegaly 10.Classification Systems for Heart Failure Severity 11.Clinical Signs of Left- and Right-Sided Heart Failure 12.Breed Predispositions for Congenital Heart Disease 13.Clinical Signs of Heartworm disease 14.Differential Diagnosis for Myocardial Disease in Dogs 15.Differential Diagnosis for Feline Myocardial Disease 16.Clinical Findings in Cats with Arterial Thromboembolism 17.Potential Complications of Chronic Atrioventricular Valve Disease 18.Differential Diagnosis for Laryngeal and Pharyngeal Disease 19.Potential Causes of Laryngeal Paralysis 20.Differential Diagnosis for Lower Respiratory Tract Disease 21.Causes of Pulmonary Edema 22.Differential Diagnosis for Mediastinal Disease 23.Differential Diagnosis for Pleural Effusion 24.Diagnostic criteria for Chylothorax 25.Potential Clinical Features of Pulmonary Hypertension 26.Potential Causes of Pulmonary Thromboembolism 27.Differential Diagnosis for Pulmonary Disease Based on Radiographic Patterns Section II - DERMATOLOGIC DISORDERS 28.Differential Diagnosis for Pyoderma 29.Differential Diagnosis for Folliculitis 30.Differential Diagnosis for Erosions/Ulceration of Canine Skin or Mucus 31.Membranes 32.Differential Diagnosis for Erosions/Ulceration of Feline Skin or Mucous Membranes 33.Classification of Parasitic Dermatoses 34.Differential Diagnosis for Change in Skin Pigmentation 35.Causes, Predisposing, and Perpetuating Factors of Chronic Otitis Externa 36.Clinical Features of Allergic Skin Disease 37.Causes of Endocrine Alopecia 38.Clinical Features of Endocrine Alopecia Section III - ENDOCRINOLOGY and METABOLISM DISORDERS 39.Potential Factors in the Etiopathogenesis of Diabetes Mellitus 40.Differential Diagnosis for Hyperglycemia 41.Clinicopathologic Abnormalities Found in Uncomplicated Diabetes Mellitus 42.Potential Clinical Features of Diabetic Ketoacidosis 43.Potential Complications of Diabetes Mellitus 44.Causes of Insulin Resistance or Ineffectiveness in Dogs and Cats 45.Differential Diagnosis for Hypoglycemia 46.Clinical Signs Associated with Insulin-Secreting Tumors 47.Potential Clinical Features of Hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing's Syndrome) 48.Potential Clinical Features of Hypoadrenocorticism (Addison's Disease) 49.Complications of Corticosteroid Therapy 50.Differential Diagnosis of Hyponatremia/Hyperkalemia 51.Differential Diagnosis for Diabetes Insipidus 52.Causes of Diabetes Insipidus 53.Potential Clinical Features of Hypothyroidism 54.Clinical Signs of Cretinism 55.Potential Clinical Features of Feline Hyperthyroidism 56.Potential Clinical Features of Primary Hyperparathyroidism 57.Potential Clinical Features of Hypoparathyroidism 58.Potential Clinical Features of Pheochromocytoma 59.Differential Diagnosis for Adrenal Tumors 60.Potential Clinical Features of Acromegaly 61.Potential Clinical Features of Pituitary Dwarfism 62.Potential Clinical Features of Gastrinoma (Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome) 63.Potential Clinical Features of Glucagonoma 64.Differential Diagnosis for Insulin-Secreting -Cell Neoplasia Section IV - GASTROENTEROLOGIC DISORDERS 65.Differential Diagnosis for Dental and Oral Cavity Diseases 66.Differential Diagnosis for Salivary Gland Disease 67.Differential Diagnosis for Esophageal Disease 68.Differential Diagnosis for Disorders of the Stomach 69.Clinical Signs of Small Intestinal Disease 70.Causes of Ileus 71.Differentiating Between Small and Large Bowel Diarrhea 72.Causes of Bacterial Overgrowth 73.Differential for Malabsorption and Maldigestion Syndromes 74.Differential Diagnosis for Protein-Losing Enteropathy 75.Differential Diagnosis for Small Intestinal Disease 76.Differential Diagnosis for Large Intestinal Disease 77.Differential Diagnosis for Perianal Disease 78.Breed Susceptibilities to Small Intestinal Disease in Dogs 79.Causes of Acute Abdomen 80.Causes of Fecal Incontinence Section V - HEMATOLOGIC DISORDERS 81.Differential Diagnosis for Regenerative Anemia 82.Differential Diagnosis for Nonregenerative Anemia 83.Some Causes or Triggers of Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia 84.Differentiating Blood Loss from Hemolytic Anemia 85.Diagnosis of Nonregenerative Anemia 86.Differential Diagnosis for Thrombocytopenia 87.Differential Diagnosis for Platelet Dysfunction 88.Differential Diagnosis for Polycythemia 89.Differential Diagnosis for Inherited and Acquired Coagulopathies 90.Differential Diagnosis for Leukocyte Disorders 91.Differential Diagnosis for Splenomegaly 92.Infectious Causes of Splenitis/Splenomegaly Section VI - IMMUNOLOGIC and IMMUNE MEDIATED DISORDERS 93.Organs and Tissues Affected by Systemic Lupus Erythematosis 94.Criteria for the Diagnosis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Dogs and Cats 95.Function of Different Components of the Immune System 96.Laboratory Diagnosis of Immune Mediated Disease 97.Differential Diagnosis for Immune-Mediated Arthritis 98.Differential Diagnosis for Autoimmune Skin Diseases Section VII - INFECTIOUS DISEASE 99.Differential Diagnosis for Polysystemic Bacterial Diseases 100.Clinical Features of Canine Ehrlichiosis 101.Clinical Features of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever 102.Nomenclature of Obligate Intracellular Bacterial Pathogens 103.Clinical Features of Canine Bartonellosis 104.Common Viral Diseases of Dogs 105.Clinical Features of Canine Distemper Virus 106.Clinical Features of Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP; feline coronavirus) 107.Clinical Features of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus 108.Clinical Features of Feline Leukemia Virus 109.Other Feline Viral Diseases 110.Clinical Features of Selected Polysystemic Protozoal Diseases 111.Clinical Features of Selected Systemic Mycoses 112.Clinical Features of Sepsis and Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) Section VIII - JOINT AND BONE DISORDERS 113.Differential Diagnosis for Infectious Arthritis 114.Differential Diagnosis for Congenital, Developmental and Genetic Bone Disorders 115.Differential Diagnosis for Metabolic, Nutritional, Endocrine, and Idiopathic Bone Disorders Section IX - LIVER AND EXOCRINE PANCREAS DISORDERS 116.Clinical and Physical Features or Hepatobiliary Disease 117.Differential Diagnosis for Hepatomegaly and Microhepatica 118.Causes of Elevated Serum Hepatobiliary Enzymes 119.Differential Diagnosis for Hepatobiliary Disease in Dogs 120.Differential Diagnosis for Hepatobiliary Disease in Cats 121.Causes of Hepatic Encephalopathy 122.Causes of Feline Hepatic Lipidosis 123.Clinical Features of Congenital Portosystemic Shunt 124.Differential Diagnosis for Canine Vacuolar Hepatopathy 125.Comparative Clinical Signs for Suppurative and Lymphocytic Cholangitis and Cholangiohepatitis in Cats 126.Differential Diagnosis for Gallbladder and Extrahepatic Biliary Disease 127.Potential Clinical Features of Gallbladder and Biliary Tract Disease 128.Differential Diagnosis for Disease of the Exocrine Pancreas 129.Clinical Signs of Acute Pancreatitis 130.Factors Predisposing to Pancreatitis 131.Clinical Signs of Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency 132.Differential Diagnosis for Hyperlipidemia 133.Clinical Features of Hyperlipidemia Section X - NEOPLASIA 134.Classification of Hematopoietic Tumors 135.Common Differential Diagnoses for Lymphoma 136.Common Skin and Subcutaneous Tumors 137.Classification of Soft Tissue Sarcomas 138.Clinical Features of Hemangiosarcomas 139.Classification of Bone and Joint Tumors 140.Clinical Features of Canine Mast Cell Disease 141.Classification of Canine and Feline Histiocytic Disease 142.Classification of Urogenital Tumors 143.Classification of Paraneoplastic Syndromes 144.Differential Diagnosis for Tumors of the Oral Cavity 145.Classification and Clinical Features of Thyroid Neoplasia 146.Chemotherapeutic Agent Toxicities Section XI - NEUROLOGIC AND NEUROMUSCULAR DISORDERS 147.Components of the Neurologic Exam 148.Examination of the Cranial Nerves 149.Localization of Spinal Cord Lesions 150.Lesion Localization for Ataxia, Paresis, Paralysis 151.Differential Diagnosis for Peripheral Neuropathies 152.Differential Diagnosis for Congenital and Hereditary Brain Disease 153.Differential Diagnosis for Inflammatory Disease of the Nervous System 154.Differential Diagnosis for Common Intracranial Neoplasms 155.Differential Diagnosis for Common Spinal Cord Diseases 156.Differential Diagnosis for Head Tilt 157.Clinical Features of Vestibular Disease 158.Neurologic Manifestations of Systemic Diseases 159.Clinical Features of Myasthenia Gravis 160.Differential Diagnosis for Myositis and Myopathies 161.Clinical Signs of Cognitive Dysfunction Section XII - OCULAR DISORDERS (Systemic Manifestations) 162.Ocular Manifestations of Systemic Diseases (Surface Ocular Disease) 163.Ocular Manifestations of System Diseases (Uveal Tract, Lens, and Fundus) 164.Differential Diagnosis for Acute Vision Loss in Dogs and Cats Section XIII - TOXICOLOGIC DISORDERS 165.Common Plant Toxicoses 166.Common Chemical Toxicoses 167.Venomous Bites and Stings Section XIV - UROGENITAL DISORDERS 168.Forms of Glomerular Disease Described in Dogs and Cats 169.Differential Diagnosis for Diseases Associated with Glomerular Disease in Dogs 170.Differential Diagnosis for Diseases Associated with Glomerular Disease in Cats 171.Clinical Features of Urinary Tract Infection 172.Differential Diagnosis for Prostatic Disease 173.Familial Renal Disease of Dogs and Cats 174.Differential Diagnosis for Renal Tubular Disease 175.Differential Diagnosis for Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease 176.Differential Diagnosis for Canine Lower Urinary Tract Disease 177.Characteristics of Common Canine Uroliths 178.Clinical Features of Bacterial Pyelonephritis in Dogs and Cats 179.Potential Causes of Acute Renal Failure in Dogs and Cats 180.Potential Renal Toxins in Dogs and Cats 181.Potential Causes of Chronic Renal Failure in Dogs and Cats 182.Differential Diagnosis for Ureteral Disease 183.Differential Diagnosis for Vaginal Discharge 184.Differential Diagnosis for Canine Male Infertility 185.Common Drugs and Metabolic Disorders Affecting Male Reproduction 186.Differential Diagnosis for Canine Female Infertility 187.Differential Diagnosis for Disorders of the Penis, Prepuce, and Testes Part THREE - LABORATORY VALUES AND INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS 1.Acetylcholine Receptor Antibody 2.Activated Coagulation Time (ACT) 3.Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT) 4.Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH), Endogenous 5.Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) Stimulation Test 6.Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT, formerly SGPT) 7.Albumin 8.Alkaline Phosphatase, Serum (SAP) 9.Amylase, Serum 10.Anion Gap 11.Antinuclear Antibody (ANA) 12.Arterial Blood Gases 13.Arthrocentesis (Joint)Fluid 14.Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST, formerly SGOT) 15.Basophil Count 16.Bicarbonate (HCO3-) 17.Bile Acids 18.Bilirubin 19.Buccal Mucosal Bleeding Time (BMBT) 20.Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) 21.Calcium 22.Cerebrospinal Fluid 23.Chloride 24.Cholesterol 25.Cholinesterase 26.Cobalamin 27.Complete Blood Count (CBC) 28.Coomb's Test 29.Cortisol (Urine)/Creatinine Ratio 30.Cortisol 31.Creatine Kinase 32.Creatinine 33.Dexamethasone Suppression Tests 34.Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC), Diagnostic Tests 35.Erythrocyte Count (RBC, Red Blood Cell Count) 36.Eosinophil Count 37.Folate 38.Fructosamine 39.Gamma Glutamyltransferase (GGT) 40.Globulin 41.Glucose 42.Glucose Tolerance Test 43.Glycosylated Hemoglobin 44.Heartworm Antigen, Canine 45.Heartworm Antigen, Feline 46.Heartworm Antibody, eline 47.Hematocrit (Packed Cell Volume, PCV) 48.Hemoglobin 49.Hemolysis, Prevention in Laboratory Samples 50.Immunoassays 51.Insulin 52.Iron-Binding Capacity (Total)/ Ferritin 53.Lipase 54.Lymphocyte Count 55.Magnesium 56.Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) 57.Methemoglobinemia 58.Monocyte Count 59.Myoglobinuria 60.Osmolality 61.Neutrophil Count 62.Packed Cell Volume (See Hematocrit) 63.Parathyroid Hormone (PTH)/ Ionized Calcium 64.Platelet Count 65.Phosphorus 66.Potassium 67.Protein, Total 68.Prothrombin Time (P) 69.Red Cell Count (See Erythrocyte Count) 70.Reticulocyte Count 71.Sodium 72.Thoracocentesis Fluid 73.Toxoplasmosis Antibody Titer 74.Thyroid Function Tests 75.Thrombocyte Count (See Platelet Count) 76.Triglycerides 77.Trypsinogen-Like Immunoreactivity (TLI) 78.Pancreatic Lipase Immunoreactivity (PLI) 79.Von Wille 80.White Blood Cell Count 81.Von Willebrand Factor 82.Urinalysis