Foreign Bodies, Intestinal

• Foreign bodies of all types can be found in the intestines.
• While some may pass through posing no problems, others can cause acute obstruction,
• Quite common in dogs
  • Rare in other species - tend to lodge in the oesophagus or in one of the ruminant stomachs.)
  • Enteroliths can be seen in horses greater than 4 years of age.
    • Are stones consisting of magnesium ammonium phosphate around a central nidus (often a metallic foreign body)
    • Typically lodge at the pelvic flexure or the transverse colon.
• Clinical
  • Obstruction at pylorus produces repeated vomiting.
  • Obstrustion lower down gives less dramatic effect.
    • Is still a problem if in the middle of the small intestines.
    • May be vague signs; some vomiting and off food.
• Diagnosis
  • May not show up well radiographically (unless radio-opaque) for several days.
    • May also be objects that are semi solid or soft, e.g.
      • String
      • Plastic bags
      • Stringy things, like pieces of material- particularly in puppies.
  • Make all of intestines have knotted appearance.
  • May be seen in horses with baler twine.
• Pathogenesis
  • Smooth, round objects, such as golf balls, lodge especially near the pylorus or lower down.
  • Occasionally in cattle (piece of rope or piece of tarpaulin) produces a tangled mass in rumen.
  • Cause pressure necrosis and eventually perforation.
  • Foreign bodies can also be chronic, remaining for long periods of time without causing disturbance.