Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog vomiting and lethargic after swallowing multiple magnetic toys
By Garneau, Mark S & McCarthy, Robert J·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2015·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Multiple magnetic gastrointestinal foreign bodies in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 3-year-old male Yorkshire Terrier was brought to the vet after three days of vomiting, not eating, and being unusually tired, following suspected ingestion of magnetic desk toys. X-rays showed multiple metallic objects in his stomach and esophagus, and he was also having trouble breathing and showed signs of pain. The vet performed endoscopy but the dog’s condition worsened, leading to emergency surgery where the foreign bodies were removed and damaged areas were repaired. Unfortunately, the dog passed away from cardiac arrest two days later. This case highlights the serious risks of dogs swallowing magnetic objects, which can cause severe internal injuries.
People also search for: dog vomiting after eating magnets · Yorkshire Terrier foreign body surgery · why is my dog lethargic and not eating
Abstract
CASE DESCRIPTION: A 3-year-old castrated male Yorkshire Terrier was referred because of a 3-day history of vomiting, hyporexia, and lethargy after suspected ingestion of magnetic desk toys. Multiple metallic gastric foreign bodies were visible on radiographic views obtained 24 hours previously by the referring veterinarian. CLINICAL FINDINGS: On physical examination of the dog, findings included moderate dyspnea, signs of pain in the cranial portion of the abdomen, hypothermia, and tachycardia. Repeated radiography revealed moderate pleural effusion and the presence of several round metallic foreign bodies in a linear ring formation in the distal aspect of the esophagus and gastric cardia. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME: Endoscopy was performed, at which time the dog became increasingly dyspneic, tachycardic, and hypotensive. Thoracocentesis was performed, and a large volume of septic exudate was removed from the left hemithorax. Exploratory surgery of the thoracic and abdominal cavities was performed, during which the magnetic foreign bodies were removed and esophageal and gastric perforations were debrided and closed. The dog died following acute cardiac arrest 48 hours after surgery. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Ingestion of multiple magnetic foreign bodies carries a high risk of gastrointestinal tract perforation, volvulus, and obstruction. Immediate surgical intervention is recommended in such cases and would have likely improved the outcome for the dog of this report.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25671286/