The reason for patient presentation refers to why the patient has come to the clinic, this should include details of clinical signs reported by the owner, details given during appointment, advice that was given to the owner (e.g. come in immediately, etc.) and any other information.
This sometimes will form part of the patient history and does not need to be a separate section.
Examples:
Grade: Fail
The patient presented to the Hospital because his owner noticed that he was having trouble passing urine. He was observed that day to have been squatting and straining for long periods of time, with no urine being passed.
Grade: Pass
The patient presented for dysuria (difficulty passing urine), which had progressed to anuria (absence of urination) which the owner noticed that day. During the initial phone call, the owner commented that the patient had been squatting and straining to urinate for long periods of time and when asked if the patient urinated at all, stated that no urination was observed. This is considered an emergency and the owner was advised to come directly into the clinic.
These clinical signs can indicate urethral blockage, which is commonly known as Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD).
Grade: Credit+
The patient presented for dysuria (difficulty passing urine), which had progressed to anuria (absence of urination) which the owner noticed that day. During the initial phone call, the owner commented that the patient had been squatting and straining to urinate for long periods of time and when asked if the patient urinated at all, stated that no urination was observed. This is considered an emergency and the owner was advised to come directly into the clinic.
These clinical signs can indicate urethral blockage, which is commonly known as Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD). This disease can have several causes, but is used to describe a blockage (either partial or total) of the urethra that makes urination difficult in a cat. FLUTD is often caused by the presence of urolithiasis, which are crystals that become trapped in the urethra during urination. Other causes can include trauma, idiopathic (unknown cause), urethral plugs (a combination of crystals, mucous and debris that forms a ‘plug’ and blocks the urethra), stress, infection, and neoplasia.