Intestine: foreign body - linear

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Sections available in full article Introduction, Presenting signs, Age predisposition, Pathogenesis, Etiology, Pathophysiology, Timecourse (incubation, duration), Diagnosis, Presenting problems, Client history, Clinical signs, Diagnostic investigation, Confirmation of diagnosis, Differential diagnosis, Treatment, Initial symptomatic treatment, Standard treatment, Monitoring, Sequelae, Prognosis, Expected response to treatment, Reasons for treatment failure, Sources, Publications, Vetstream contributor(s),
Contributors Dr Cheryl Hedlund DVM MS
Prof Ed Hall MA VetMB PhD DipECVIM MRCVS

Introduction

  • Cause : string, fishing line, recording tape, tinsel are common foreign bodies in cat.
  • Usually start as partial obstruction.
  • Continued presence can lead to large sections of bowel becoming non-functional and essentially completely obstructed.
  • Signs : vomiting  Vomiting  , melena.
  • Diagnosis : history, physical findings and radiography.
  • Treatment : surgery in most cases.
  • Prognosis : guarded, particularly if chronic.

Diagnosis

Clinical signs

  • Palpable abdominal mass or 'bunched up' bowel.
  • Abdominal pain.
  • Dehydration.
  • String evident at base of tongue or exiting anus.

Diagnosis

Differential diagnosis

  • Intussusception  Intussusception  .
  • Renal insufficiency  Kidney: chronic kidney disease  .
  • Hepatic disease  Liver: failure  .
  • Neoplasia  Lymphoma  .
  • Infectious/inflammatory conditions, eg inflammatory bowel disease (IBD  Inflammatory bowel disease: overview  ).
  • Poisoning.

Sequelae

Prognosis

  • Good if early removal before significant intestinal damage.

Expected response to treatment

  • Cessation of vomiting.
  • Return to normal eating.

Reasons for treatment failure

  • Peritonitis/septicemia due to bowel perforation.
  • Excessive amount of small intestine resected. (Can tolerate up to 50-60% with no significant problems.)

Sources

Publications

Refereed papers

  • Bebchuk TN (2002)Feline gastrointestinal foreign bodies.Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract.32(4), 861-880
  • Barrs V Ret al(1999)Intestinal obstruction by trichobezoars in five cats.J Fel Med Surg1(4), 199-207.
  • Stack L Bet al(1996)Foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract.Emerg Med Clin North Am14(3), 493-521.

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