- 12 year old mn Westie with history of chronic intermittent vomiting and diarrhea presumed to be IBD
- Most recent episode is not responding to usual tx (metronidazole, Rx diet)
- Dog is no longer vomiting but acting depressed
- Bloodwork is pending; dog last ate 8 hours prior to scan.
- Abdominal US shows a strong shadowing pattern in the stomach, a partially formed GB mucocele (central sludge and stellar pattern), but no wall thickening and no pericholecystic inflammation, and bilateral small renal cortical cysts.
- 12 year old mn Westie with history of chronic intermittent vomiting and diarrhea presumed to be IBD
- Most recent episode is not responding to usual tx (metronidazole, Rx diet)
- Dog is no longer vomiting but acting depressed
- Bloodwork is pending; dog last ate 8 hours prior to scan.
- Abdominal US shows a strong shadowing pattern in the stomach, a partially formed GB mucocele (central sludge and stellar pattern), but no wall thickening and no pericholecystic inflammation, and bilateral small renal cortical cysts.
- Owner (who is a vet) says dog does get into the trash but usually eats only food items.
- I strongly suspect this dog has a gastric FB….dog was not aerophagic during exam. Recommend scoping but referral centers are all backed up. Plain rads next? Exploratory lap?
- I scanned the dog in both dorsal recumbency and standing (ST).
- What do you all think?
Comments
The strongly shadowing
The strongly shadowing gastric ingesta is strongly consistent with foreign material. Ex lap and gastrotomy indicated.
Manual palpation of the GB
Manual palpation of the GB and expression if possible, consider cholecystectomy if the GB is firm or hard to express based on sonographic description.
I’d recommend GI biopsies
I’d recommend GI biopsies during surgery in light of history regardless of findings.
Thanks all! Will keep you
Thanks all! Will keep you posted.
Exploratory laparotomy
Exploratory laparotomy revealed a gastric hairball and partial GB mucocele formation.