This is NOT what's for dinner!

We have all heard the stories of missing socks or chewed up toys from a michievous pup. This is all humorous fodder for this meme's and social social media posts but when it is your pup, things can get serious. Today we have a happy tail to share about how, even the most careful owners can fall victim to the foe of a fast moving pup and their favorite toy. 

If caught early there can be options for care that are alternatives to surgery. Meet Gnocchi.

Case Study: Canine Foreign Body Ingestion ( A Success Story)

Gnocchi is a 3-year-old intact female Bulldog that presented to VCA Hollywood's Emergency Service for vomiting after ingesting a chew toy the day before. The family attempted to induce vomiting with hydrogen peroxide at home, but this was unsuccessful. On physical exam, Gnocchi had normal vitals with a mildly tense abdomen. X-rays revealed a large single foreign body in the stomach.

Gnocchi was placed under general anesthesia as soon as possible, and endoscopy (camera evaluation) of the stomach was performed. In the stomach, a large foreign body was found. Due to the rubber material of the toy, the toy was unable to be firmly grasped for retrieval. In addition, many of the edges were too large to be snared. Eventually, a small edge (later discovered to be the toe of the toy) was able to be snared, and the foreign body was successfully removed. On re-exploration, there was a large bleeding area, though it is unclear whether this irritation was the result of the foreign body itself or previous hydrogen peroxide administration.

Gnocchi recovered from anesthesia uneventfully and was given intravenous supportive gastrointestinal medications for the remainder of the day. She was discharged on a short course of oral gastroprotectants.

 
Take-Home Points
When offering a new toy or treat, dogs and cats should be supervised for signs that they may inappropriately ingest large portions that may become stuck in the esophagus (tube connecting the mouth to the stomach), stomach, or intestines. In some cases like this, minimally invasive endoscopy can be performed to retrieve the foreign body or lodged treat. However, surgery is the only option if the foreign body becomes obstructed in the intestines as the scope is only long enough to reach the front portion of the small intestine.

If you are concerned that your pet may have swallowed a toy or large treat, you should seek emergency veterinary assistance immediately. Possible symptoms include drooling, gagging, retching, coughing, regurgitating, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing. If the foreign body has not passed into the intestines, then minimally invasive endoscopy may be an option.

Authored by: 

Melody Chen, DVM, MS

Practice Limited to Internal Medicine

melody.chen@vca.com