Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with small intestine blockage from eating kinetic sand
By Trempe, Andrew J & Persano, Jeanine M·Published in The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne·2024·VCA Emergency Animal Hospital and Referral Center, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Small intestinal obstruction secondary to kinetic sand ingestion in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
An 11-year-old neutered male shih tzu was brought in after not eating for two days. X-rays showed that his intestines were blocked by a substance that turned out to be kinetic sand. After trying medical treatment for eight hours without improvement, the dog needed surgery to remove the sand, which was causing a serious obstruction. Fortunately, he recovered well and was able to go home four days after the operation.
People also search for: dog not eating · shih tzu intestinal blockage · kinetic sand ingestion treatment
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe a case of small intestinal obstruction secondary to kinetic sand ingestion in a dog. ANIMAL: An 11-year-old neutered male shih tzu dog with a 2-day history of anorexia. PROCEDURE: Abdominal radiographs revealed a small intestinal bowel loop dilated with radiopaque material, consistent with sand ingestion. The dog's only sand exposure was to kinetic sand. After 8 h of medical management, radiographs were consistent with a small intestinal obstruction. RESULTS: The dog underwent exploratory laparotomy, which revealed distal jejunal and ileal distention with palpable soft foreign material that could not be milked into the colon. The sand was removed through a single enterotomy. The dog was discharged 4 d after surgery. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The hydrophobic properties of kinetic sand may make it more likely than regular sand to cause intestinal obstruction that requires surgery. With the increasing popularity and availability of kinetic sand for domestic use, clinicians should have a high index of suspicion for kinetic sand impaction and secondary intestinal obstruction.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38304476/