Today’s case is a 2-year-old male neutered domestic longhaired cat with vomiting and lethargy. What is the critical finding on this set of radiographs?
Teaching and learning about veterinary diagnostic imaging.
Today’s case is a 2-year-old male neutered domestic longhaired cat with vomiting and lethargy. What is the critical finding on this set of radiographs?
The stomach is markedly distended with granular material, fluid, and gas. The small intestine is normal in diameter. There are several irregular gas bubbles in the peritoneal space that are not clearly contained within bowel loops. There is free gas between the stomach, liver, and diaphragm on the lateral projections. No abnormalities are noted in the urinary tract. The spleen is mildly enlarged. The portion of the thorax included is normal.
Free gas within the peritoneum is consistent with septic peritonitis. The gastric distension with foreign material may be the source of gas secondary to obstruction, rupture, or perforation. Splenomegaly may be due to congestion, sedation, or infiltrative disease.
Septic peritonitis.
A duodenal ulcer with free gas and a small amount of peritoneal effusion were identified on abdominal ultrasound. Further diagnostics were not pursued.
kulapika says
Is that possible to share the ultrasound images too? I am curious to see the duodenal ulcer. Thank you.