Grass seed (and other vegetation) foreign bodies are a potential nightmare. We all know this. Sadly, it seems that neither CT nor MRI are reliable modalities for locating them in our patients. Obviously there may be clues from advanced imaging findings but actual visualisation of the foreign body itself isn’t consistent. In a series of … Continue reading
In these days of Angiostrongylosis (in the UK anyway) we know all about the threat posed by snails to our pets’ health…. This case concerns an acutely dyspnoeic 1 y.o. domestic short-haired cat one Sunday afternoon. His thoracic radiographs are interesting. Place your bets….name that tracheal foreign body! I guess I blew it with … Continue reading
This poor chap had suffered ‘pyrexia of unknown origin’ for the best part of a year prior to this episode. Despite thorough investigation, a definite diagnosis remained elusive. Until he blew up a new lump on his left flank. That looks pretty consistent with an abscess doesn’t it? But no sign of anything foreign that … Continue reading
Another slightly unusual case: a 3 year-old Dalmatian with a 5-month history of vomiting and weight loss. On ultrasonography the stomach is dilated despite a 12-hour fast: The area of the cranial duodenal flexure is also abnormal: We couldn’t be sure at the time but there does appear to be a hyperechoic fragment of foreign … Continue reading
This is a Springer Spaniel presenting with vomiting and profuse diarrhoea of several days’ duration. This is the diarrhoea: …and this is the appearance of the diarrhoea-filled colon on ultrasonography: BUT, just to prove that you shouldn’t jump to conclusions, a hunt around the mid-abdomen reveals an irregular shadowing density in the jejunum: That has … Continue reading
Interesting cases from this week, happily doing well at present. The first, a cat with acute vomiting and profound malaise: The first two seconds of the examination. Don’t want to jump to any conclusions but a stomach dilated to that extent raises the prospect of mechanical or functional GI obstruction. And there’s some ‘stuff’ in … Continue reading
