Apa Case Study Terra
A six year old DLH named Terra presented to the clinic for owner concerns over Terra having trouble seeing. Her owner, Miss Hawthorne, reports that Terra is now just sitting and staring at the wall. Terra is not up to date on her vaccinations and is an intact female. Terra is fed a strictly homemade diet that consists mostly of fruits and vegetables.
On physical exam Terra has a BCS of 2/5 and is moderate dental calculus and mild inflammation of the gums. Terra’s TPR is within acceptable limits and no abnormalities are heard upon auscultation. Auscultation of Terra’s heart reveals a soft grade 2 systolic murmur with a gallop rhythm. PLR is delayed and her coat is dull and appears unkempt.
It is suspected that Terra is suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy and retinal deficiencies that is caused by the taurine deficiency in her diet. The vet recommends a diet change for Terra to help possible reverse her condition.
After discussion with Miss Hawthorne she is informed that cats are obligarate carnivores and require meat in their daily diet to ensure they are getting the needed protein and fat. It is also discussed that cats eating a vegetarian diet will lack …show more content…
For Miss Hawthorne, supplementation is not an option. Animal’s are unable to synthesize the amount of vitamins and minerals they need just from supplements alone and it needs to be provided in a correctly balanced diet. With regards to Vitamin A supplementation, Miss Hawthorne is told that it is fat soluble and will remain in an animal’s body for a long time. It is discussed with Miss Hawthorne that this can lead to a problem called “hyper-vitaminosis A”. Miss Hawthorne is informed this can cause the spine to harden and lead to symptoms, such as stiff neck, trouble walking, and body
On physical exam Terra has a BCS of 2/5 and is moderate dental calculus and mild inflammation of the gums. Terra’s TPR is within acceptable limits and no abnormalities are heard upon auscultation. Auscultation of Terra’s heart reveals a soft grade 2 systolic murmur with a gallop rhythm. PLR is delayed and her coat is dull and appears unkempt.
It is suspected that Terra is suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy and retinal deficiencies that is caused by the taurine deficiency in her diet. The vet recommends a diet change for Terra to help possible reverse her condition.
After discussion with Miss Hawthorne she is informed that cats are obligarate carnivores and require meat in their daily diet to ensure they are getting the needed protein and fat. It is also discussed that cats eating a vegetarian diet will lack …show more content…
For Miss Hawthorne, supplementation is not an option. Animal’s are unable to synthesize the amount of vitamins and minerals they need just from supplements alone and it needs to be provided in a correctly balanced diet. With regards to Vitamin A supplementation, Miss Hawthorne is told that it is fat soluble and will remain in an animal’s body for a long time. It is discussed with Miss Hawthorne that this can lead to a problem called “hyper-vitaminosis A”. Miss Hawthorne is informed this can cause the spine to harden and lead to symptoms, such as stiff neck, trouble walking, and body