Case Study

Small intestinal foreign body in a 6 year old Labrador Retriever dog

A 6-year-old Labrador Retriever dog was presented with a history of seizure activity, currently being treated with phenobarbital. Abnormalities on CBC and serum biochemistry were hemoconcentration, monocytosis, elevated ALP and elevated GGT activity, hyponatremia, hypokalemia, and hypochloremia.

A 6-year-old Labrador Retriever dog was presented with a history of seizure activity, currently being treated with phenobarbital. Abnormalities on CBC and serum biochemistry were hemoconcentration, monocytosis, elevated ALP and elevated GGT activity, hyponatremia, hypokalemia, and hypochloremia.

DX

GI foreign body, small intestine.

Sonographic Differential Diagnosis

Obstructive intestinal pattern: foreign body suspected where shadowing is occurring and focal neoplastic, FB or inflammatory change in image where there is no acoustic shadowing present.

Image Interpretation

Echogenic dome shape in a segment of jejunum causing acoustic shadowing. Fluid accumulation distal suggesting additional obstructive disease further down. Small intestine with poorly defined hyperechoic intraluminal region without acoustic shadowing. Difficult to determine if focally thickened wall or intraluminal structure is present in image. The descending colon is visibly empty which may be followed into the pelvic inlet to differentiate the hard shadowing jejunal foreign body in video 1 from colonic artifact.

Outcome

A gastrotomy and enterotomy was performed. A foreign body was found in the small intestine. The patient did well postoperatively. The owner reported that the pet was doing well during the recheck exam and suture removal.