Part One. Clinical Signs Approach to Differential Diagnosis
Abdominal Effusions and Ascites
Ataxia and Incoordination
Cachexia and Muscle Wasting (Sarcopenia)
Compulsive Behavior Disorders
Erosions and Ulcers of Skin and Mucous Membranes
Failure to Grow/Failure to Thrive
Inappropriate Elimination
Lymphadenopathy (Lymph Node Enlargement)
Ptyalism (Excessive Salivation)
Idiopathic Epilepsy (Primary Epileptic Seizures) Epilepsy
Stranguria, Dysuria, and Pollakiuria
Part Two. Systemic Approach to Differential Diagnosis
Mechanisms of Disease: DAMN-IT VP Scheme
Section I. Cardiopulmonary Disorders
Atrioventricular Valve Disease, Chronic (Mitral or Tricuspid Valve)
Canine Infectious Tracheobronchitis, Etiologic Agents Associated With
Laryngeal and Pharyngeal Disease
Lower Respiratory Tract Disease
Pulmonary Thromboembolism
Section II. Dermatologic Disorders
Erosions and Ulcerations of Skin or Mucous Membranes
Section III. Endocrinologic and Metabolic Disorders
Congenital Hypothyroidism (Hypothyroidism in Puppies)
Gastrinoma (Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome)
Hyponatremia/hyperkalemia
Section IV. Gastroenterologic Disorders
Chronic Constipation, Feline
Dental and Oral Cavity Diseases
Protein-Losing Enteropathy
Section V. Hematologic Disorders
Coagulopathies, Inherited and Acquired
Expected Hemostatic Test Results in Selected Diseases
Section VI. Immunologic and Immune-Mediated Disorders
Mechanisms of Immunopathologic Injury
Organ Systems Affected by Autoimmune Disorders in the Dog and Cat
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Section VII. Infectious Disease
Bacterial Infections, Systemic
Polysystemic Protozoal Diseases
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Sepsis and Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS)
Vaccines, Recommended Core vs. Noncore
Section VIII. Joint and Bone Disorders
Section IX. Liver and Exocrine Pancreatic Disorders
Cholangitis and Cholangiohepatitis, Feline
Exocrine Pancreatic Disease
Gallbladder and Extrahepatic Biliary Disease
Hepatic Lipidosis, Feline
Hepatomegaly and Microhepatica
Portosystemic Shunt, Congenital and Acquired
Vacuolar Hepatopathy, Canine
Chemotherapeutic Agent Toxicity
Oral Cavity Tumors, Differential Diagnosis
Section XI. Neurologic and Neuromuscular Disorders
Brain Disease, Congenital or Hereditary
Disorders Confused with Seizures
Inflammatory Disease of the Nervous System
Paroxysmal Disorders Confused With Epileptic Seizures
Section XII. Ocular Disorders
Eyelids and Periocular Skin
Nonhealing Corneal Erosions (Ulcers) in Dogs
Ocular Manifestations of Systemic Diseases
Venomous Bites and Stings
Section XIV. Urogenital Disorders
Differentiating Between Urine Marking and Inappropriate Elimination in Cats
Indications for Cystoscopy
Proteinuria in Dogs and Cats
Proteinuria Differential Diagnosis
Pyelonephritis, Bacterial
Section XV. Pain Diagnosis
Acute Pain Preemptive Scoring System (Examples in Each Category)
Section XVI. FAST Ultrasound
FAST Ultrasound Examinations (Focused Assessment With Sonography for Trauma, Triage, and Tracking)
TFAST as an Extension of the Physical Exam
Part Three. Laboratory Values and Interpretation of Results
Acetylcholine Receptor Antibody
Activated Coagulation Time (ACT)
Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (aPTT)
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH), Endogenous
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) Stimulation Test
Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT, Formerly SGPT)
Alkaline Phosphatase, Serum (SAP or ALP)
Antinuclear Antibody (ANA)
Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST, Formerly SGOT)
Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)
Buccal Mucosal Bleeding Time (BMBT)
Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
Creatine Kinase (CK, Formerly CPK)
Cytologic Criteria of Malignancy
Cytologic Features of Discrete Cell (Round Cell) Tumors
Cytologic Features of Mesenchymal Cells
Cytologic Features of Normal Epithelial Cells
Cytology of Ear Canal Swabs
Cytology of Nasal Swabs or Flush Specimens
Dexamethasone Suppression Tests
Erythrocyte Count (RBC Count)
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Testing
Gamma Glutamyltransferase (GGT)
Glycated (Glycosylated) Hemoglobin
Heartworm Antibody, Feline
Heartworm Antigen, Canine
Heartworm Antigen, Feline
Hemolysis, Prevention in Laboratory Samples
Iron-Binding Capacity (Total, TIBC)/Ferritin
Joint Fluid (Arthrocentesis)
Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV)
Methods of Sample Collection for Cytology
Pancreatic Lipase Immunoreactivity (PLI)
Parathyroid Hormone (PTH)/Ionized Calcium
Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein (PTHrP)
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Symmetric Dimethylarginine (SDMA) Assay
Toxoplasmosis Antibody Titer
Trypsinogen-Like Immunoreactivity (TLI)
Urine Cortisol/Creatinine Ratio
Urine Protein/Creatinine Ratio