This 3 year old cat presented ADR, decreased appetite, sternal position, lethargic and mildly dehydrated. May have eaten a piece of toy, R/O foreign body.
This 3 year old cat presented ADR, decreased appetite, sternal position, lethargic and mildly dehydrated. May have eaten a piece of toy, R/O foreign body.
A tubular shaped mineral opaque foreign object of 1 cm length and 0.8 cm width is seen within the jejunum. The width of the foreign object is 2 – 3 times the small intestinal diameter. There are 2 populations of small intestinal loops, a nondilated population distal to the foreign body, which appears to comprise 2/3 of the small intestine as well as a mildly dilated portion proximal to the foreign object comprising approximately 1/3 of the small intestine. The mildly dilated loops are turgid with segmental spasms. An abnormal linear luminal gas pattern is seen within the dilated loops proximal to the foreign object.
Anorexia, maldigestion pattern and empty large intestine
• No evidence of intestinal perforation/pertonitis
• Hypovolemia with volume contracted spleen
At the point of the radiographic examination the intestinal obstruction is not complete.
The odds of natural passage of the foreign object cannot be predicted accurately.
However, chances are usually higher with oral intake of food and rehydration. If the
patient remains anorexic or presents vomiting after oral intake of food/fluid surgical
removal of the foreign object is recommended. Narrow clinical and radiographic or
ultrasonographic monitoring of the foreign object’s passage and evidence of peritonitis
is advised.
