Endoscopic Diagnostics and Surgical Treatment of Foreign Objects in Stomach and Duodenum in Canines
Foreign objects in stomach may be found in canines of all age groups. Most frequently those are bones, stones, balls, plastic objects and cellophane bags. A four-year male Labrador was taken to the dispensary of the Belgrade School of Veterinary Medicine. For several days, the dog vomited everything eaten. The semi-digested food contained plenty of whitish mucus. The general examination did not show any deviation of the triad from physiological range. Abdomen palpation in the epigastria region showed tenderness with marked muscular rigidity. As a foreign object was suspected to be in the stomach, gastroscopy was carried out. The endoscopic examination of the stomach showed hyperemic and edematous mucosa with small dotted strongly manifested hyperemic fields. A foreign item which fully closed the pylorus was noted in the pyloric part of the stomach. It could not be taken out by means of any accessorial instruments used in endoscopy so that the surgery was performed. The dog was anesthetized and the surgery started. The initial incision on the skin was made in the region of linea albi, from the xyphoid to umbilical region. After the incision of the stomach, two sutures were placed on each side in order to lift the stomach from the abdominal cavity. The foreign object was taken from the stomach by means of tongs for foreign objects. After gastrotomy, the initial incision was extended to the pubic region. Palpation detected a foreign object within the duodenum lumen, too. Therefore, enterectomy was performed and the foreign object (a cellophane bag with bones leftovers) removed. Intestines and abdomen were then closed as per standard surgical procedure.