Introduction

To describe the conservative management of ingested straight metallic sharp-pointed foreign bodies (FBs) in dogs and cats.

Methods

Retrospective descriptive study in a veterinary teaching hospital. The electronic records of dogs and cats with gastrointestinal straight metallic sharp-pointed FBs presenting between 2003 and 2021 were reviewed. Species, presenting complaint, FB location, treatment, complications, intestinal transit time, length of hospitalization and outcome were recorded. Cases were excluded if a FB was identified in a non-gastrointestinal location, was removed by endoscopy or surgery or if resolution was unknown.

Results

During the study period, 56 cases of straight metallic sharp-pointed FB were noted, but 41 were excluded (23 non-gastrointestinal, 5 removed surgically, 4 removed endoscopically and 9 with unknown outcome), leaving 15 cases (11 dogs and 4 cats) managed conservatively. Median age was 10 months (3–72 months) for dogs and 17.5 months (16–34 months) for cats. Foreign body ingestion was witnessed in 14 cases (93.3%), while in 1 case the FB was incidentally noted during magnetic resonance imaging for investigation of chronic spinal pain. Clinical signs likely related to the FB were reported in 2 (13.3%) cases. Foreign bodies were needles in 10 (66.7%) cases, sewing pins in 3 (20%) cases, and a drawing pin and a nail in one (6.7%) case each.

Location on admission was the stomach in 13 (86.7%) cases, and proximal duodenum and colon in 1 (6.7%) case each. Prior to conservative management, removal of the FB had been attempted via endoscopy or surgery in 3 cases each. Conservative management was successful in 13/15 (86.7%) cases with no complications reported. In 2 (13.3%) cases, the FB was surgically removed as it was still in the stomach after 24 hours hospitalization. The mean time to defecation of the FB was 48±24 hours.

Survival to hospital discharge was 100%.

Conclusions

Conservative management may be considered as a safe and effective alternative for the treatment of metallic sharp-pointed gastrointestinal FBs although careful monitoring is required. Human guidelines suggest interventions should be considered if the FB fails to progress within 3 days from ingestion or if the patient develops new clinical signs.

E-mail: ccrino21@rvc.ac.uk