Foreign Bodies, Intestinal
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- 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.
- May also be objects that are semi solid or soft, e.g.
- Make all of intestines have knotted appearance.
- May be seen in horses with baler twine.
- May not show up well radiographically (unless radio-opaque) for several days.
- 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.