Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Sewing needle removed from 11-month-old dog's brain surgery
By Abed Alla, S et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2022·Ospedale Veterinario Città, Italy·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Surgical removal of a sewing needle penetrated through the foramen lacerum into a canine brain.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
An 11-month-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was brought to the vet after showing signs of drooling and chewing, but otherwise seemed normal neurologically. X-rays and a CT scan revealed a sewing needle that had penetrated from the throat into the brain. The needle was surgically removed using fluoroscopy, and while the dog experienced a temporary condition called Horner's syndrome (which affects the eye and eyelid), there were no major complications. Three months later, the owner reported that the dog was healthy and back to normal.
People also search for: dog swallowing needle · Cavalier King Charles Spaniel drooling · dog brain surgery recovery
Abstract
An intracranial metallic foreign body (sewing needle) was diagnosed in an 11-month-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Clinical evaluation showed drooling and chewing, but an otherwise normal neurological examination. Skull radiographs showed a metallic foreign body extending from the pharynx into the skull. A CT scan confirmed the presence of a foreign body crossing the right foramen lacerum into the brain. The needle was removed surgically with the aid of fluoroscopy. No complications were noted, except for transient right Horner's syndrome, most likely due to partial damage of the sympathetic postganglionic fibres that lie in the region of the tympanic bulla following surgery. The owner reported the dog being healthy 3 months after surgery.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34109622/