Today’s case is a 5-year-old female neutered Husky cross with a 3-day history of vomiting. There may have been some yarn in her stool today. This one is a bit challenging and subtle. What are your findings?
Teaching and learning about veterinary diagnostic imaging.
Today’s case is a 5-year-old female neutered Husky cross with a 3-day history of vomiting. There may have been some yarn in her stool today. This one is a bit challenging and subtle. What are your findings?
The stomach is moderately fluid filled for a dog with persistent vomiting. On both lateral projections, there is a single dilated bowel loop (fluid filled)just dorsal and parallel to the spleen, which is presumed to be duodenum. The spleen is mildly enlarged, and the remainder of the small intestine is normal in diameter. There is no evidence of foreign material in the pylorus or bowel plication to suggest linear foreign body.
High obstruction – ascending duodenum or jejunum.
Jejunal foreign body. (2×2 cm portion of plastic ball)
This case has the classic appearance of a high obstruction, with a fluid-filled stomach and proximal duodenum. Most distal obstructions involve more bowel loops, have more gas in the small intestine, and less fluid in the stomach. The foreign body was not visible in this dog. Persistently dilated GI tract in the face of vomiting indicates obstruction.
kburton says
Is that // to tail or head of spleen?!
Allison Zwingenberger says
Parallel to the tail of the spleen on the left lateral projection.