Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Segmental jejunal volvulus and hemoperitoneum secondary to small intestinal foreign material in a dog.
- Journal:
- The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne
- Year:
- 2025
- Authors:
- Cook, Linley A et al.
- Affiliation:
- Ocean State Veterinary Specialists · United States
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old neutered male English bulldog was brought to the vet because he was vomiting and had stopped eating. An ultrasound of his abdomen showed that he had a blockage in his intestines caused by foreign material, along with some free fluid in his abdomen, which indicated bleeding. During surgery, the vets found that part of his intestines had twisted and was obstructed by this foreign material. After removing the affected section of the intestine and reconnecting the healthy parts, the dog made a full recovery and went home two days later without any complications. This case highlights that a twisted intestine can occur due to foreign objects in the gut, and the dog’s positive outcome suggests that this type of issue can be treated successfully.
Abstract
A 5-year-old castrated male English bulldog was presented for evaluation of acute vomiting and anorexia. Abdominal ultrasound revealed obstructive small intestinal foreign material with a small amount of abdominal free fluid, consistent with hemoperitoneum. Exploratory laparotomy revealed a segmental jejunal volvulus with foreign material extending from the portion of the intestines immediately orad to the volvulus into the affected intestinal loop. The dog fully recovered following resection and anastomosis of the affected small intestine. Key clinical message: This article documents the first reported case of jejunal volvulus suspected to be secondary to small intestinal foreign material. The dog was discharged 2 d postoperatively with no complications. Although reported outcomes for complete mesenteric volvulus are poor, segmental volvulus may have a better prognosis and should be considered as a differential diagnosis when small intestinal foreign material is causing obstructive ileus. The presence of hemoperitoneum may be an additional indicator that the ileus is associated with intestinal volvulus.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41142982/