Feline Practice

Key learning objectives:

• Understand the causes of acute and chronic kidney disease, the presentation and diagnostic tests utilised in cats with clinical signs of renal disease (including AKI, CKD, glomerular disease, neoplasia and inherited diseases) 
• Describe the causes and emergency treatment of acute kidney injury
• Explain the pathophysiology of renal disease and the importance/ significance of hyperphosphataemia, anaemia, proteinuria and hypertension
• Apply knowledge of the International Renal Interest Society staging scheme for chronic kidney disease to stage a patient and provide a prognosis
• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the available treatments for CKD including phosphate binders, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers, anti-hypertensives and dietary modification
• Recall the neuroanatomy of the lower urinary tract and the differentiation of upper motor neuron/ lower motor neuron defects
• Approach diseases of the lower urinary tract including feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD), urolithiasis, urinary tract infections and neoplasia and understand their differentiation, risk factors, treatment and dietary management

Key learning objectives:

• Approach the common presentations of respiratory disease including nasal discharge, epistaxis, coughing, stertor, stridor, sneezing and reverse sneezing
• Diagnose and treat upper respiratory tract diseases, both acute (infectious) and chronic (inflammatory or infectious or neoplastic in origin)
• Formulate an approach to allergic lower respiratory tract disease including differential diagnoses, investigation and treatment of allergic airway disease, parasitic disease and pulmonary fibrosis
• Understand pleural space disease including differential diagnoses, investigation and therapeutics

Key learning objectives:

• Formulate a differential diagnosis, and investigation plan (including laboratory investigations) for common dermatological presentations including alopecia, pruritus, infectious and auto-immune conditions, allergic skin disease and neoplasia
• Know treatment strategies for common dermatological presentations including alopecia, pruritus, infectious and auto-immune conditions, allergic skin disease and neoplasia
• Be aware of and be able to recognise dermatological manifestations of systemic disease

Key learning objectives:

• Consolidate your understanding of normal cat behaviour and body language
• Understand the clinical causes of feline behavioural problems
• Formulate an approach to common problems such as inappropriate toileting, spraying, aggression and compulsive disorders
• Review and apply strategies for improving core territory security
• Understand environmental enrichment strategies for cats
• Understand how to make a clinic ‘cat friendly’ using the International Society of Feline Medicine Cat-Friendly Clinic scheme applying principles of basic cat behaviour to avoid stress and anxiety.
• Explain basic cat-friendly handling to reduce distress in the veterinary clinic

Key learning objectives:

• Perform an ophthalmic examination, recognise normal structures and understand indications and techniques for the use of standard diagnostic equipment
• Understand the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of common feline ocular pathology such as uveitis, corneal and conjunctival disease and chorioretinal disease
• Perform common surgical procedures pertinent to feline ophthalmology
• Approach the medical management of ophthalmic patients and understand indications for topical medications
• Know when to refer a patient to a specialist

Key learning objectives:

• Understand the clinical signs associated with neurological disease
• Perform a neurological assessment and understand what the tests evaluate and their interpretation
• Describe how to localise lesions and the value this provides to the clinician
• Plan a neurological investigation and understand the major feline neurological diseases based on localisation
• Approach abnormalities including seizures, spinal cord and cranial nerve abnormalities and peripheral neurological diseases
• Be familiar with the common myopathies including their presentation, diagnosis and treatment

Key learning objectives:

• Understand the clinical relevance of tumour biology 
• Discuss the most common neoplasms of the major organ systems 
• Understand how to stage tumours (discuss imaging, histology/cytology)
• Understand the mechanism of action of common chemotherapeutic drugs
• Understand how to distinguish non-regenerative and regenerative anaemia and the common causes of both types of anaemia
• Understand the physiology of the clotting cascade and how common conditions can affect this (e.g. thrombocytopenia, rodenticides and congenital clotting disorders)

Key learning objectives:

• Apply knowledge gained to surgical asepsis and theatre protocol
• Rationally utilise antibiotics in surgical patients
• Be familiar with suture materials and patterns, surgical instruments and tissue handling
• Plan surgery, apply haemostatic techniques and manage crises
• Approach the management and reconstruction of wounds
• Describe and understand how to apply a pain-scoring scheme
• Understand the management of acute and chronic pain
• Discuss commonly used anaesthetic drugs and routine anaesthetic monitoring
• Explain the response to anaesthetic emergencies
• Describe a range of parenteral and inhalational anaesthetic regimes
• Understand the pharmacokinetics of different anaesthetics and monitoring techniques available

Key learning objectives:

• Know how to investigate and manage common medical conditions affecting the feline oesophagus, stomach, small and large intestine, liver and pancreas
• Describe the various tests used in the diagnosis of liver and pancreatic disease and the management options for the common hepatic medical disorders
• Approach the nutritional management of disorders of the liver, pancreas and gastrointestinal tract

Key learning objectives:

• Define the clinical signs of feline endocrine diseases and understand their pathogenesis – including hyperthyroidism, diabetes mellitus, acromegaly, hyperaldosteronism,  hyperadrenocorticism and parathyroid disorders. 
• Describe the principles of key diagnostic tests and their application for the above feline endocrine diseases 
• Understand the management of common feline endocrine diseases and know how to approach complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis and unstable diabetes  

Key learning objectives:

• Develop a thorough knowledge of sampling techniques, the limitations of technology and equipment and the factors that can generate artefacts or abnormalities
• Interpret results and propose further investigations
• Understand the methodology involved in the generation of haematology, biochemistry and cytology profiles
• Have an awareness of the various diagnostic tests for endocrine and infectious diseases ( viral, parasitic- including heartworm- and bacterial) the techniques used and their interpretation
• Recall the cytology of haemic and non-haemic cell populations, both reactive and neoplastic, and have the ability to trace or plot maturation and degeneration pathways in blood, fluid and tissue smears; have awareness of further tests that can be performed on cytology samples if indicated
• Explain the function of bone marrow and the differential diagnosis of anaemia, haematopoietic disease and coagulopathies

Key learning objectives:

• Perform triage, assess patients and prioritise cases
• Undertake emergency monitoring and stabilisation
• Understand the effects, clinical signs and treatment for common toxicities including insecticides, molluscicides, rodenticides, herbicides, household preparations and plants
• Be familiar with critical therapeutics including fluid and electrolyte therapy, transfusion medicine cardiovascular and respiratory support, analgesia and CPR
• Have an awareness of assisted feeding techniques and when they are appropriate to use

Key learning objectives:

• Recognise the importance of a detailed history and clinical examination of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems in the diagnosis of cardiopulmonary diseases
• Review and understand the common causes of heart disease in cats
• Consolidate your understanding of the central importance of blood pressure in the pathophysiology of cardiac disease in cats and know how to discriminate the causes of hypertension in this species
• Define the crucial role of high-quality imaging modalities (especially ultrasonography and radiology) in the differential diagnosis of feline cardiopulmonary diseases

Key learning objectives:

• Perform an orthopaedic examination
• Be familiar with the presentation, diagnosis and treatment of osteoarthritis in the cat and show awareness of other arthritides e.g. infectious and immune-mediated
• Understand the value of radiography, synoviocentesis, and when advanced imaging is indicated in the investigation of musculoskeletal disease
• Apply first aid techniques to fracture patients
• Explain the principles of orthopaedic surgery and the approach to the repair of common fractures

Key learning objectives:

• Describe health and safety concerns and precautions relating to zoonoses
• Design and implement vaccination and preventative parasitic programmes
• Approach the pathophysiology, diagnosis and, where appropriate, treatment of common viral diseases including FeLV, FIV and FIP
• Diagnose and treat Haemoplasma infections

Key learning objectives:

• Understand the pathophysiology of diseases of hunting cats including Toxoplasmosis, Pox virus, Mycobacterial disease and Salmonellosis
• Approach enteric infections of the cat including protozoal disease (Trichomonas foetus, Cryptosporidium, Giardia spp. and Isospora spp.) and bacterial/ viral disease
• Understand common fungal infections of cats including Cryptococcosis and Aspergillosis 
• Understand strategies to control infectious disease in the home, clinic, shelters and cattery situations