Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Subtotal colectomy for treatment of acquired megacolon in the dog and cat.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Year:
- 1986
- Authors:
- Bright, R M et al.
Plain-English summary
In this study, researchers looked at the medical records of four cats and one dog that had megacolon, a condition where the colon becomes enlarged and leads to constipation. The cats had idiopathic megacolon, meaning the cause was unknown, while the dog’s condition was due to eating something it shouldn’t have. All the pets showed signs of a large colon on X-rays, which was confirmed during surgery. They all underwent a procedure called subtotal colectomy, where part of the colon was removed, and in some cases, a valve was also taken out. The surgery was successful for all the animals, as they showed improvement and their owners were satisfied with the results.
Abstract
The case records of 4 cats and 1 dog with megacolon and constipation were reviewed to study the history, clinical signs, pathologic changes, and longterm results of surgical treatment. The 4 cats had idiopathic megacolon. The dog had megacolon secondary to dietary indiscretion. All animals had radiographic evidence of a large colon, which was confirmed by exploratory coeliotomy. Two of the cats and the dog had an intraoperative finding of megacecum as well. Subtotal colectomy was performed in all cases, with the ileocolic valve being removed in 3 of these cases. End-to-side anastomosis was used to restore the integrity of the bowel. All animals were treated successfully with this surgical technique, as judged by clinical response and owner satisfaction. Histologically, there were no consistent lesions to explain the cause of this disease in the cats.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3744968/