Case Study

Gastric Foreign Body in an 11 year old FS DSH cat

This 11-year-old FS DSH presented for anorexia and weight loss. The physical exam revealed poor body condition and mild intestinal thickening. The blood analysis was unremarkable.

This 11-year-old FS DSH presented for anorexia and weight loss. The physical exam revealed poor body condition and mild intestinal thickening. The blood analysis was unremarkable.

DX

Gastric foreign body

Sonographic Differential Diagnosis

Non-obstructive gastric foreign body.

Image Interpretation

A strongly shadowing gastric luminal foreign body is present. The stomach is empty and contracted supporting a currently non-obstructing process.

Outcome

The patient was euthanized at surgery.

Clinical Differential Diagnosis

GI pathology – IBD, neoplasia, foreign body/hairball, bowel infarction; pancreatic pathology – pancreatitis

Sampling

Gastrotomy revealed a large grass/tricobezoar lodged within the gastric lumen as well as mesenteric root lymphadenopathy. A 1 cm mass of the common bile duct was noted at the duodenal papillae which had not been visualized during the sonogram.