Dogs are curious by nature. They love to investigate new sights, smells and tastes. Unfortunately, this curiosity can lead them into trouble. Dogs are notorious for swallowing paper, tissues, articles of clothing, sticks, wicker, bones, food wrappers, rocks, and other foreign objects. Many of these objects will pass through the intestinal tract without problem. It is common for dog owners to report finding all sorts of objects in their dog's stool or vomit.
However, one of the more common and potentially life-threatening conditions seen in veterinary practice is foreign body obstruction. Although most foreign bodies do pass uneventfully through the intestinal tract, if an obstruction occurs for some reason, surgical removal of the blocked object is the only treatment.
Most pets that have ingested a foreign body will exhibit some of these clinical signs:
After obtaining a thorough medical history, your veterinarian will perform a careful physical examination. If a foreign body is suspected, abdominal radiographs (x-rays) will be performed. Several views or a series of specialized x-rays using contrast material (barium or other radiographic dye) will often be necessary. In addition, your veterinarian may recommend blood and urine tests to assess whether the patient's health has been compromised by the obstruction, or to rule-out other causes of vomiting such as pancreatitis, enteritis, infections or hormonal diseases such as Addison's disease.
If a foreign body obstruction is diagnosed or suspected, exploratory surgery is generally recommended.
Time is critical since an intestinal or stomach obstruction often compromises or "cuts off" the blood supply to these vital tissues. If the blood supply is interrupted for more than a few hours, these tissues may become necrotic or "die" and irreparable damage or shock may result.
In some instances, the foreign body may be able to pass on its own. In this event, your veterinarian may recommend hospitalization of your dog for close observation, and will perform follow-up radiographs to track the progress of the foreign object.
If any clinical signs are related to an underlying condition, or if diagnostic testing indicates compromised organ systems, these abnormalities will also require treatment.
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