Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Gas infection in liver, stomach, and colon of 5-month-old Shiba Inu
By Kumamoto, Miho & Bandt, Carsten·Published in The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne·2025·Department of Emergency and Critical Care and Diagnostic Imaging, Canada·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Emphysematous hepatitis, emphysematous gastritis, and pneumatosis coli in a 5-month-old Shiba Inu dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-month-old spayed female Shiba Inu was brought to the vet after experiencing severe vomiting, diarrhea, and weakness. She had recently undergone surgery and was given pain medication, which may have contributed to her condition. Upon examination, the dog was in shock and had abdominal pain, and tests showed signs of gas buildup in her stomach, liver, and intestines, indicating a serious infection. The vet treated her with fluids, antibiotics, and other supportive care, leading to a quick recovery and improvement in her health.
People also search for: Shiba Inu vomiting and diarrhea · dog abdominal pain treatment · puppy infection after surgery
Abstract
A 5-month-old spayed female Shiba Inu dog was presented because of acute vomiting, diarrhea, and weakness. The dog had undergone elective ovariohysterectomy, received nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication, and undergone an intestinal biopsy 1 d before presentation. On physical examination, the dog was in shock and had abdominal pain. There were an increased hematocrit, band neutrophilia with toxic change, and elevated urea concentration and liver enzyme values. Abdominal ultrasound revealed gas foci within the gastric wall, hepatic parenchyma, and colonic wall, consistent with emphysematous infection. Fecal analysis revealed low levels ofalpha toxin gene. The dog was treated medically with intravenous fluids, antimicrobial therapy, gastric decompression, and supportive treatments. Rapid clinical improvement was noted, accompanied by improvements on repeat abdominal ultrasonography examinations and blood work. A positive outcome was observed in this dog. The etiology for emphysematous infection was unclear, with multiple risk factors reported in human literature. In this case, administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication, preexisting enteropathy, and recent abdominal surgery may have contributed to disease development. This is the first report of concurrent emphysematous gastritis, pneumatosis coli, and emphysematous hepatitis in a dog. This case report could aid practitioners in recognizing, diagnosing, and treating emphysematous infections in dogs with acute abdominal symptoms. Key clinical message: This is the first report of concurrent emphysematous gastritis, pneumatosis coli, and emphysematous hepatitis in a dog. The report provides information regarding the pathogenesis of, risk factors for, and diagnosis and treatment of emphysematous infections.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40322647/