Staff cat, any thoughts on chest X-rays

Re: Staff cat, any thoughts on chest X-rays

Sara Ramsey — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 20:33:37 GMT

Didn't mean to suggest an answer! Reading forum on a touchscreen phone

Re: Staff cat, any thoughts on chest X-rays

Sammy82 — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 19:04:32 GMT

Agree with Utlendigur, I am seeing these shadows too. And a FB could cause emphysema too, which could be responsible for the hyperinflated impression. Just read about the american who had a pea sprouting in his lung (story is a few years old though)

Re: Staff cat, any thoughts on chest X-rays

Utlendigur — Tue, 23 Jul 2013 22:56:04 GMT

Another vote for hyperinflated lungs. It's difficult to see as the image is small but are there a couple of radio-opaque shadows? There seems to be quite a small dense one dorsal to the trachea (ID chip overlying??) but maybe my imagination, or is there another, less dense one, just dorsal and caudal to the carina. Just wondering whether a FB is possible? Not common I know, but I saw a cat a few years ago that had inhaled a tooth, which lodged in a similar position. What about repeating xray (both laterals and DV) now it's a bit more stable

Re: Staff cat, any thoughts on chest X-rays

Rob Loxley — Tue, 23 Jul 2013 22:33:52 GMT

[quote user="David Mills"]

As per Mr Flynn. Lungs look overinflated to me.

What was the LA diameter on the scan? That'll tell you if its CHF or not.

HR sounds too low for CHF (esp wrt to hypert4 too) - could be resp dz causing vagal stim --> lowering of HR.

[/quote]

Agree with respiratory rather than cardiac and LA size should be a key indicator.

As an aside, I seem to see bradycardia in quite a few of the (seemingly many) cats we see with acute CHF/pleural effusion, without other obvious outward signs of cardiogenic shock (or am I missing them?)

Re: Staff cat, any thoughts on chest X-rays

James Laidlaw — Tue, 23 Jul 2013 20:40:53 GMT

Was this an inflated chest film, or conscious? Looks hyper inflated.

Re: Staff cat, any thoughts on chest X-rays

David Mills — Tue, 23 Jul 2013 20:37:29 GMT

As per Mr Flynn. Lungs look overinflated to me.

What was the LA diameter on the scan? That'll tell you if its CHF or not.

HR sounds too low for CHF (esp wrt to hypert4 too) - could be resp dz causing vagal stim --> lowering of HR.

Likely two things going on.

Re: Staff cat, any thoughts on chest X-rays

John Flynn — Tue, 23 Jul 2013 20:20:06 GMT

I'm not seeing the radigraoph great and it's a single view etc, but no signs of CHF to me, I don't see a pleural effusion and I don't see a pneumothorax or diaphragmatic hernia.

That really leaves me with "asthma" and such like (steroids usually) or high resp rate for non-dyspnoeic / upper resp tract reason.

Was the cat dyspnoeic I would want to know and if so was it struggling to breathe in or out or not clear.

I'd treat the hyperT4 for sure, not convinced re fortekor, but can't see it doing any harm (other than pissing off cat with another tablet).

If it's a bit improved, I might jsut continue with hyperT4 treatment and monitor for now?