Premium
Differential diagnosis and management of haematochezia in dogs and cats
Author(s) -
Keyte Sophie
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
in practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.211
H-Index - 25
eISSN - 2042-7689
pISSN - 0263-841X
DOI - 10.1136/inp.k3922
Subject(s) - physical examination , medicine , differential diagnosis , medical diagnosis , disease , sign (mathematics) , clinical history , anxiety , rectal examination , intensive care medicine , pediatrics , pathology , surgery , psychiatry , mathematical analysis , mathematics , prostate cancer , cancer
Haematochezia is defined as the passing of fresh blood in the stools, and is a commonly encountered problem in dogs and, more rarely, in cats seen in first‐opinion veterinary practice. This clinical sign causes anxiety to owners and can also indicate a more severe underlying disease, although this is often benign. Thorough history taking is key to narrowing down an extensive list of differential diagnoses; this should include dietary exposure and a thorough clinical examination, including digital rectal examination. This article gives guidelines on the approach to haematochezia as well as on the diagnosis and treatment of the most commonly encountered conditions for which it is a clinical sign.