Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog vomiting and lethargic with particles in belly fluid
By Renschler, Janelle et al.·Published in Veterinary clinical pathology·2008·Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: What is your diagnosis? Particulate material in peritoneal fluid from a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 9-year-old male Greyhound was brought in for vomiting and lethargy that had lasted a week. The dog was found to be dehydrated and had a tense abdomen, along with some bleeding spots on his skin. Tests showed signs of inflammation and the presence of barium sulfate particles in his abdominal fluid, which was likely from a recent contrast study. Surgery revealed a perforation in his intestine and a liver tumor, which was diagnosed as T-cell lymphoma. After surgery, the dog recovered well and started chemotherapy for the lymphoma.
People also search for: dog vomiting and lethargy · Greyhound intestinal perforation · T-cell lymphoma treatment in dogs
Abstract
9-year-old castrated male Greyhound dog was presented for evaluation of vomiting and lethargy of 1-week duration. On physical examination, the dog was febrile and dehydrated with a tense abdomen and petechial hemorrhages. Clinicopathologic abnormalities included relative polycythemia, mild lymphopenia with reactive lymphocytes, hypoalbuminemia, hypocholesterolemia, hyperbilirubinemia, increased ALP, mild hypokalemia, hyperamylasemia, hyperlipasemia, increased D-dimer concentration, and hyperfibrinogenemia. Cytologic evaluation of peritoneal fluid revealed marked suppurative inflammation with intracellular barium sulfate particles. The day before presentation, the referring veterinarian had administered oral barium sulfate in an upper gastrointestinal contrast study. Radiographs revealed free contrast material in the peritoneal cavity, consistent with gastrointestinal perforation, and leakage of contrast material. Abdominal exploratory surgery revealed a mid-jejunal perforation and a hepatic nodule. Histopathologic diagnosis of the jejunal and liver lesions was T-cell lymphoma. The patient recovered well postoperatively and received chemotherapy for treatment of lymphoma. Most commercial barium sulfate preparations contain relatively uniform, weakly birefringent, pale yellow particles <1 microm in diameter. Because barium sulfate is found occasionally in clinical specimens, cytopathologists should be familiar with its cytologic appearance.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18366556/