Animals that ingest indigestible objects like stones or plastics, or challenging items like bones, can cause blockages at the stomach outlet, gastric distention, or irritation, leading to vomiting. In severe cases, this can progress to intestinal perforation and peritonitis, a life-threatening condition that requires prompt intervention.
Translation: Disease Characteristics and Considerations
Common Symptoms and Cautionary Notes:
1) Initial signs like vomiting, abdominal pain, or loss of appetite may be overlooked by pet owners, underestimating the severity of the condition.
2) Prompt handling of linear foreign bodies is crucial to prevent complications such as intestinal perforation and peritonitis.
3) Not all animals with stomach foreign objects will exhibit vomiting; it’s not always a definitive symptom.
4) A stomach full of foreign objects does not guarantee vomiting as the sole cause.
5) Linear objects are more common in cats, necessitating a thorough examination under the tongue.
6) Many foreign bodies can be removed non-surgically using endoscopy.
7) Pre-operative X-rays should be taken multiple times to precisely locate and monitor the movement of the object.
Clinical Symptoms
The majority of animals with stomach foreign objects typically display symptoms such as vomiting, loss of appetite, or lethargy. Vomiting can be intermittent, but some might continue eating and appear normal. If the foreign object is located at the bottom of the stomach or doesn’t obstruct the pylorus, vomiting is less likely to occur.
Diagnostic Criteria
1. Physical Examination: Small dogs or cats may have foreign objects detected through palpation, while obesity makes it more challenging.
2. Radiography: Complete stomach assessment involves taking four types of X-rays: dorsoventral, lateral, right-oblique, and left-oblique views. These projections enhance visibility of the object against the contrast of gas in the stomach.
3. Abdominal Ultrasound: Although difficult, ultrasound can identify foreign objects in the stomach by differentiating them from fluid content. Solid objects like stones or pins show reflective properties and echogenic shadows, while spherical objects have variable echoes, recognizable as round or cyst-like echoes. They move with the animal’s position in the fluid-filled stomach.
4. Endoscopy: This procedure allows direct visualization of stomach contents, confirming the presence of a foreign object and assessing the integrity of the stomach lining, making it a definitive diagnostic tool.
Treatment Options
1. **Small, rounded objects**: If the foreign object is small and non-sharp, inducing vomiting can be attempted. However, if there’s concern about safety, options include endoscopy or surgery for extraction.
2. **Endoscopy for angular objects**: For objects that are tiny but have sharp edges, endoscopy is suitable as it minimizes potential damage to the esophagus. Both surgery and endoscopy involve anesthesia, making endoscopy a conservative treatment option to begin with.
3. **Surgical removal**: For larger or more complex objects, surgical intervention is necessary. Prior to surgery, electrolyte and acid-base balance should be checked and corrected to ensure anesthesia is safe and effective.
Post-Operative Communication
1. **Feeding restrictions**: Post-anesthesia, the animal will be on a restricted diet and water intake until the observation period is over, at which point, feeding will be reintroduced as soon as appropriate.
2. **Recovery support**: Post-operative hydration, nutritional support, and electrolyte and acid-base balance restoration will be provided to aid recovery.
3. **General prognosis**: With the exception of cases where the animal is weak or has developed peritonitis due to a gastric perforation, the general prognosis is favorable. However, close monitoring is essential to manage potential risks.
