Veterinary Clinical Medicine-I (General and Systemic)

Diseases of the upper respiratory tract

DISEASES OF THE UPPER REPIRATORY TRACT

Rhinitis "Coryza Or Nasal Cattarah"

• Definition
  • Rhinitis means inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nose and usually involving the upper part of the trachea, it may be acute, chronic, croupous or follicular.        

   

• Etiology
  • Primary causes
    • Inhalation of irritant vapour as ammonia or chlorides.
    • Presence of foreign bodies in the nose as dust particles.
  • Secondary causes
    • Sudden exposure from hot to cold, this well reduce the resistance of the body & enable the M.O. which are normally inhabitant or commensals, in the upper respiratory tract as strept., staph., coryne. & pasteurella, to become pathogenic, active and then attack the mucous membrane.
    • Extension of inflammation from other parts of respiratory tract as laryngitis or even pharyngitis.
    • Bold causes, "in the course of some diseases as"
      • Glanders.
      • Strarngles.
      • Meliodosis of sheep.
      • Necrotic rhinitis of sheep.

    • Viral causes

      • Malignant catarrhal fever of cattle.
      • Mucosal disease.
      • Render pest.
      • Blue tongue disease.
      • Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis.(I.B.R.).
      • Equine viral rhinopneumonietis.
      • Swine influenza.

    • Parasitic causes

      • Ostrus ovis of sheep.
      • Blood flukes as Shestsoma Nasalis of cattle.

Fungal Aspirigillosis of dogs

Allergic condition

• Pathogenesis
  • Rhinitis is usually of minor importance except when the nasal discharge rises up and block the nostril. Its major importance arises when it accompanies some specific infectious disease.
• Clinical signs
  • Redness and swelling of mucous membrane of the nose.
  • Bilateral nasal discharge which usually begins watery in character then mucopurualnt & purulent.
  • Swelling of the submaxillary L.N.
  • Difficulty of swallowing "dysphagia".
  • Sometimes the discharge rises up and blocks the nose leading to a condition of "snorting".
  • When there is irritation the animal rubs its nose against any hard objects.
  • There may be lacrimation and bleeding.
• Prognosis
  • Favorable but when the causes are not treated it leads to chronic rhinitis.
• Diagnosis
  • Clinical findings.
  • Sudden onset.
  • The character of the discharge which usually begins watery. When the animal rubs its nose against objects, ulcerations & abrasions well be formed.
• Complications
  • Chronic rhinitis may extend to other parts as nasal sinus giving rise to sinusitis.
  • Enlargement of submaxilary L.N.
  • Conjunctivitis specially in sheep.
  • Extension of the inflammation to the lung.
• P.M. findings
  • Rhinitis is not a fatal disease, although the animal may die from a Specific disease in which rhinitis is a prominent lesions.
• Treatment
  • Put the animal in a well ventilated space away from draughts.
  • Complete rest of the animal & give only laxative, easily digestive food.
  • Irrigate the nostrils with Sodium bicarbonate (1% solution).
  • Apply medicated steam inhalation, but contraindicated to be used in milk and meat producing animals.
  • Put Vaseline on the upper lip of the animal.

Chronic Rhinitis

• This disease takes more longer time than the acute type & it means that the case was either acute type and neglected or the stimuli acted slowly till it produces the condition
• Etiology
  • Neglected acute cases of rhinitis.
  • Accompanied with some chronic diseases of respiratory tract as chronic alveolar emphysema of horses as well as glander & T.B.
• Clinical signs
  • Mucoid nasal discharge, sometimes it may be transparent in color.
  • The mucous membrane of the nose is swollen & bluish or brownish.
  • Sometimes there is stenosis of the nasal cavities, due to swelling of the mucous membrane, accompanied by snorting which is due to breathing from the mouth.
  • There may be ulcers & abrasions on the surface of the nose, due to the fact that the animal shakes its head and tries to get rid of the discharge by rubbing the nostrils against objects.
• Diagnosis & differential diagnosis
  • Chronic rhinitis need care in its diagnosis, since some infectious disease gives the same symptoms as
  • Glanders
    • The nasal discharge is unilateral.
    • Non inflammatory swelling of the submaxillary lymph node.
    • Ulceration & abrasions in the nostrils.
    • Positive Malline Test.
  • Strangles
    • The submaxillary lvmph node is inflammed and tend to form abscess.
  • Sinusitis
    • On percussion, there well be dull sound with severe painful response.
    • The nasal discharge is unilateral & is intermittent.
  • Infections of the teeth
    • Careful examination of the teeth with smelling of the mouth will be helpful in differentiation.
  • Tuberculosis (TB)
    • Must be excluded by application of Tuberclin Test.

Differentiation between acute & chronic rhinitis

Acute rhinitis	Chronic rhinitis
Watery nasal discharge	Mucoid nasal discharge
Mucous memb. Is swollen & redden	Mucous m. is swollen &bluish
Swelling of the submaxillary L.N.	Swelling of submaxillary L.N.followed by dysphagia
Stenosis of the nostril	The animal rubs its nose against objects

• Treatment: As acute rhinitis but takes more longer time.

Croupous Rhinitis

• Definition
  • It means inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nose with the formation of pseudomembrane.
• Etiology
  • Inhalation of irritant vapour as gases, hot fumes or smoke.
  • Some m.o. as bacillus necrophorus.
• Clinical signs
  • Exactly as acute rhinitis with inflammation of the mucous membrane & appearance of same grayish patchs on the m.ms. Or yellow false membrane which lastly sheds off, leaving a bleeding surface, and scares.
  • The nasal discharge contain shreds of the mucous membrane which distinguishes this type from the acute type.
  • Swelling of the submaxillary lymph gland.
  • There may be slight rise in the body temperature.
• Prognosis
  • Recovery within one week.
• Treatment
  • As acute rhinitis but, for the rise of the body temp. give a course of antibiotics & antipyretic & isolate the diseased animals.

Follicular Rhinitis

• Definition
  • It means inflammation of the mucous membrane of nose with the formation of pustules which later on forms ulcers. The inflammation may involve the maxillary gland & often the sebaceous gland.
• Etiology
  • Streptococcus equi.
• Clinical signs
  • Swelling of the mucous membrane of the nose with formation of small nodules on the septum nasi "flea bite" size which increase in size & number & becomes yellowish in color.
  • The adjacent nodules will coalesce forming bigger nodules which ruptured leaving a bright red erosions" heal in few days".
  • The regional lymph glands & lymph .v. become swollen & enlarged forming thick cords & sometimes suppurates.
  • Conjunctivitis.
• Diagnosis
  • Differentiate between this type and Glander & Pox.
• Prognosis
  • Recovery takes place within 2-3 weeks.
• Treatment
  • Medicated steam inhalation.
  • Injection of antibiotics such is
    • Streptopenicid.
    • Oxytetracyclines.
    • Local application of iodine ointment on the affected area.

Differentiation between cruopous & follicular rhinitis

Crupous rhinitis	Follicular rhinitis
Definition It means inflammation of the mucous membrane with formation of pseudo-membrane	It means inflammation of the mucous membrane with the formation of pastules
Etiology Inhalation of irritant gases M.Os as Bacillus Necrophrus	Streptococcus equi
Susceptibility: Equines & Bovines	Equines
Clinical signs Nasal discharge contain shreds of pseudomembrane Swelling of submaxillary L.N. Presence of yellow false membrane on the mucous membrane	Swelling of the mucous membrane with appearance of small nodules Enlargment of the regional L.N forming thick cord Conjunctivitis
Prognosis: Recovery in one week	Recovery in 2-3 weeks
Diagnosis: From symptoms	Different from Pox & Glander
Treatment As acute rhinitis, but in case of rise of body temperature give a course of antibiotics & isolate the animals.	Medicated steam inhalation Course of antibiotics Local application of ointments.