Introduction

Over the past six months, particularly during the season of family patron feasts, a series of cases of esophagus obstruction with bones (pork and fish) have been recorded at the Clinic for Small Animals of Veterinary Medicine in Belgrade. The video-endoscopic technique was used for diagnostics.

Materials and methods

Over the past six months ten dogs, suspected of an extraneous body in esophagus, have been observed at the Clinic for Diseases of Ungulate and Carnivore: five Golden Retrievers, 2-4 years old, two Staffordshire Terriers, 2 and 3 years old, two Rottweilers, 5 and 6 years old, and one Yorkshire Terrier, 1 year old. Flexible endoscope of the XION brand was used for video-endoscopic checks.

Results

With three Golden Retrievers, parts of pork dorsal vertebrae were noticed to be stuck into the thoracic esophagus. One dog was put to sleep due to commencement of necrotic processes of esophagus mucosa. Parts of lamb bones were found with the other two retrievers. Parts of lamb bones were found in jugular esophagus with Stafford Terriers and Rottweilers. A part of fish bone was pulled out of jugular esophagus in Yorkshire Terrier. Surgical removal of bones from esophagus was therapy for most dogs.

Conclusion: Thanks to this special diagnostic method, in the past six months we, at our department, managed to diagnose dogs with extraneous bodies (bones) in esophagus, with some of those relatively easily removed during the very examination by use of various tongs at the top of endoscope.

References

1.  Rallis T, 1995. Gastrointestinal Endoscopy in Dogs and Cats. University Studio Press, Thessaloniki

2.  Gualtieri M. 2001.Esophagoscopy. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract, July; volume 31(4), p605-30

3.  Tams T, 2004. Esophagoscopy and gastroscopy. The Nortth American Veterinary Conference. Small and Exotics Book One & Two, volume 18, p380, January 17-21, Orlando, Florida