The cat ate something and couldn't vomit. What to do if the cat ate a sharp object! Why do our pets have such a love for inedible objects

The curiosity and active lifestyle of domestic cats often play a cruel joke with them, provoking the ingress of a foreign object into the gastrointestinal tract. The owner of a fluffy fidget should know not only the symptoms of the disease, but also what to do in such a situation, what danger is a foreign object in the animal's body. Often, in order to save the life of a pet, a veterinarian has to resort to surgical intervention.

Experienced breeders and veterinarians know that foreign bodies most often enter through the digestive tract. Curious cats, playing with various objects that fall into their field of vision, often swallow them. Especially often, during the operation, veterinarians discover caps from valerian, details of a children's designer, coins, construction debris, and burst balls.

The peak of appeals regarding the ingestion of a foreign object by animals falls, as a rule, on the New Year holidays. Bright tinsel, small Christmas decorations, parts of a garland, Christmas tree decorations attract the attention of curious cats with their brilliance and rustle.

Fluffy homebodies are not indifferent to needlework items (threads, needles, buttons, decorative elements) and fishing tackle (line, hooks, spinners, wobblers, etc.).

The risk group includes small kittens and young animals. Due to natural curiosity, lack of life experience, young animals try all new objects by mouth and often swallow them. Endangered and animals left for a long time to themselves. A bored cat tries to entertain itself by playing with foreign objects. Veterinarians also consider balls of hair in the stomach of a cat to be a dangerous foreign body.

Is a foreign body dangerous?

A foreign body that enters the digestive tract can lead to the following health problems:

Veterinarians, realizing the danger of ingestion of an inedible object by a pet, strongly recommend that owners carefully monitor their pets and be aware of what clinical signs are characteristic of this situation.

Symptoms in a cat

Ingestion of a foreign object does not always occur in front of the owner. The discovery of the loss of one or another thing in the room and the inadequate condition of the cat should cause anxiety in the household and make them take a closer look at the presence of the following symptoms in the pet:

When an inedible object gets stuck in the esophagus, there is a strong salivation.
When an object is localized in the throat, the cat coughs, wheezes, cyanosis of the tongue and loss of consciousness may be noted.
The animal worries, stretches its neck, makes frequent swallowing movements.
Constant vomiting, belching. The duration of vomiting can last from several hours to several days, depending on the severity of damage to the digestive canal and the location of the object.
Complete lack of appetite, the animal refuses even its favorite treat.
Soreness in the abdomen, accumulation of gases, bloating.
Sluggish and apathetic state, drowsiness.
Stool retention, diarrhea, constipation.
Reducing the amount of feces.
In chronic obstruction, cachexia develops due to a decrease in appetite.
Signs of general intoxication of the body.

Mindful of the danger of foreign bodies entering the gastrointestinal tract of a domestic cat, the owner must immediately deliver the animal to a specialized clinic.

What to do when a cat has swallowed an object

Veterinarians strongly recommend that owners who find that a cat has swallowed a foreign body do not take any independent action. The lack of professional skills and knowledge will lead to even more serious consequences for the health of the pet.

For example, you can not give vaseline oil, which can cause intestinal intussusception when there is a foreign body in it. In no case should vomiting be induced if there is a suspicion that a sharp object, alkali or oil product has been swallowed.

The owner must ensure that the animal does not take food and water before visiting the veterinarian, provide the cat with complete rest and urgently deliver to a specialized clinic.

Diagnostics in the veterinary clinic

After collecting the history and physical examination, the veterinarian proceeds to special methods of research in order to visualize the foreign object. In veterinary practice, the following diagnostics are used:

Plain radiography of the abdominal organs. It is carried out in two projections: direct and lateral. For a more detailed study, radiography is carried out in the vertical and horizontal position of the fluffy patient. The method allows you to determine the presence and localization of radiopaque objects (metal needles, paper clips, etc.).

On the x-ray: a penny in the intestines of a cat

To visualize foreign objects such as plastic, threads, a radiopaque substance is used, which is injected into the animal's body.
Ultrasound examination of the digestive canal and organs of the chest and abdominal cavity. The method allows to detect intestinal obstruction, to determine the state of intestinal motility.
With the help of a fiber optic fiberscope in a specialized institution, the pet will undergo an endoscopic examination of the esophagus and stomach. The method is effective if no more than 3-4 hours have passed since the foreign body was swallowed.

Laboratory methods for examining blood and urine are of an auxiliary nature and are necessary for the differential diagnosis of intestinal obstruction due to an infectious disease, intoxication, etc.

Deletion by operation

From the intestines

When confirmed by radiographic, ultrasound methods of examination of intestinal obstruction, the surgeon, as a rule, decides to perform a diagnostic laparoscopy. During the operation, the foreign body is removed, and the intestinal intussusception is repositioned. If necessary (phenomena of necrosis), a part of the intestine is resected.

For information on how a foreign object is removed from the intestines of a cat using enterotomy, see this video:

From the stomach

In rare cases, it is possible to remove a foreign object from the stomach using a diagnostic gastroscopy. When a foreign body is detected in the stomach of a domestic cat using endoscopic, x-ray or ultrasound examination, the surgeon, as a rule, decides to perform a gastrotomy.

Removal of threads from the stomach during gastrotomy

Having received prompt access, the stomach is held with the help of ligatures. The foreign body is removed using instruments or by palpation. After suturing the mucous membrane and muscle layers, the organ is returned to its anatomical location. The operation is performed under general anesthesia.

From the esophagus

In the event that the location of the foreign body is the esophagus, in some situations it can be removed using an endoscope. If the size of the object is large, then the surgeon may perform an esophagotomy. The operation is indicated if the perforation of the walls of the esophagus occurs on the x-ray, or the foreign body is large and has sharp edges.

Often the veterinarian resorts to the following manipulation. With the help of an endoscope, he pushes the object into the stomach, after which the animal undergoes a gastrotomy, followed by removal of the foreign body.

The penetration of a foreign body into the digestive canal of a pet is a dangerous phenomenon for health and life. The animal must be urgently delivered to a specialized institution for special diagnostic procedures in order to visualize the swallowed thing. As a rule, treatment is reduced to the surgical extraction of a foreign body by laparoscopy, gastrotomy or esophagotomy, depending on its location.

The cat ate a thread, what to do to help the animal. Cats are very curious animals and eating thread, rope, New Year's rain is a sweet thing. Cats do not understand all the risks associated with this gastronomic study, but there is certainly a risk. A foreign, non-food product that has entered the cat's esophagus is an extremely undesirable guest in the body of your fluffy pet.

Foreign objects in the stomach of a cat - it is better to prevent

The most correct thing on the part of the owner would be to prevent a situation in which the cat will eat thread, yarn, rope, and so on. Cats love to selflessly chew threads sticking out of bedspreads and clothes, so all such threads must be removed. Handicrafts should be kept out of the reach of the animal and not left alone with the balls and threads.

If the cat ate the thread, and it was not possible to prevent it

You were extremely careful, but the shaggy cunning man managed to pull off a piece of thread. You need to know that the cat's tongue is designed in such a way that the cat cannot spit out anything, it has to swallow. This is retribution for the rough tongue, the pimples of which are located so that they block the loss of food from the cat's mouth.

Therefore, if you are lucky enough to catch a cat doing this, then you need to quickly open her mouth by force and remove the thread with your fingers if it is still on the tongue. Unfortunately, cats are nimble in this matter and try to swallow the thread as soon as possible, as if it were fresh meat.

The cat swallowed the thread, and it was not possible to extract it

If you are afraid for the health of the cat, for example, the thread was too long or thick, or stiff, then there is a way to make the cat vomit. If a little time has passed and the animal looks normal, try pouring lightly salted water into its mouth at the rate of 2 teaspoons of salt per liter of water. Liter, of course, there is no need to fill in, vomiting will begin much faster.

The cat swallowed the thread and more than 2 hours passed

If your kitty walks for more than two hours with a foreign object in the stomach, and at the same time behaves as usual, then we can say that you are lucky - the thread has passed into the intestines and the only way you can help your pet is to give a small laxative so that the threads come out quickly and did not cause much discomfort. Give the cat some vaseline oil, just a little, and make sure the cat goes to the toilet.

The thread that your cat swallowed will gradually come out and sometimes the tail sticks out of the anus. In no case do not pull on it and do not try to extract it by force !! You will damage the animal's intestines, and then you will not be able to do without treatment. Carefully cut the thread so as not to injure the cat's anus and do not let the tail stick out too much, the cat is smart enough to start chewing on it.

If the cat swallowed the thread and she feels bad

Run to the doctor! If your cat is unwell, she is lethargic, refuses food and water, lies and meows plaintively, you will not be able to help her, only a veterinarian will provide qualified assistance.

In fact, everything is not so scary. My cat, while wearing a blanket, ate threads many times and at the same time felt great, sometimes they had to be cut, but this did not affect the health of the animal.

Another thing is when a cat has eaten woolen yarn or New Year's rain, there may be options and a real danger to the cat's health. So keep an eye on the animals and don't let them make mistakes because of your feline curiosity.

Cats are curious creatures. Like little children, they do not always distinguish between what can and cannot be eaten, so they can eat not only sausage, but also cellophane that smells like it. What to do if the cat ate the package? Is such a situation dangerous for his life or health or not, and is it worth contacting a veterinarian? Here is what modern experts write about it.

Is it worth worrying

From time to time, cats may eat sausage skins, Christmas tree decorations, or bags containing meat or fish products. If a piece of polyethylene is small, then there is nothing wrong with that. It leaves the body for 3-4 days along with feces, without causing significant harm to the animal. Under natural conditions, cats can eat non-food fibers with which they cleanse their stomach, so it is not surprising that they gnaw on rags, bags and inedible things. Veterinarians advise that if cats start eating bags, bring them untreated grass, soft chicken bones, or special solid pet food, which are best selected with a veterinarian.

Even if a cat, like a dog, eats a large inedible object, it will vomit it. It will not penetrate into the intestines, it will help the animal to clear the stomach. It is worth observing the behavior of the animal for 3-4 days. If it hasn't changed, there's nothing to worry about. But if after using the package you find the following symptoms, you should immediately contact the clinic, even if the cat ate a small piece of cellophane:

restless meowing, excitement. The cat begins to fuss and disturb the owners, which was not observed before;
constipation, the cat cannot go to the toilet;
the stomach is enlarged, but the cat does not allow to touch it. In some cases, the animal begins to constantly lick the stomach or roll on the floor;
persistent vomiting and lack of appetite;
persistent diarrhea;
lethargy, apathy and refusal to eat.

Even if the cat ate a small piece, the above symptoms may indicate intestinal obstruction or a foreign object in the body that requires urgent specialist intervention. If no action is taken, the animal may die. Therefore, at home, it is dangerous to give a cat a laxative or try to induce vomiting. The cat can eat the plastic bag along with its contents. In this situation, the likelihood of intestinal obstruction is reduced, but the rough parts of the food bag can injure the intestines and cause alarming symptoms.

Even an ordinary Christmas tree ribbon can be deadly for a cat that decides to play with it. The material from which it is made can be more dangerous than polyethylene and cause severe intestinal obstruction, but the most dangerous are Christmas tree rain, ribbons for Christmas decorations, foil or rough paper. Therefore, for safety reasons, do not leave your cat unattended where there is a Christmas tree or food bags or food leftovers. If the cat has eaten the cellophane, do not try to remove it completely, as this may damage the esophagus or a piece of cellophane will get stuck in the throat and may cause suffocation. You should not give a laxative, as it will aggravate the effect, contact your veterinarian.

After examining the cat, he will prescribe an ultrasound and x-ray. These studies will help determine the localization of polyethylene and the general condition of the cat's body. In some cases, a study with a contrast agent is required. If the animal has a severe case and necrosis of intestinal tissues has begun, surgical intervention will be required. In the presence of comorbidities or if the cat is over 7 years old, this can be very risky, so it is worth preparing for any outcome. If the x-ray does not confirm intestinal obstruction, and the foreign body does not injure the internal organs, the doctor will most likely prescribe a diet. The cellophane will come out with the feces.

If the bag is stuck in the intestines, a plentiful and dense diet is required. In no case should you try to interfere with this process on your own, especially if the cat ate a large piece of a plastic bag. In this situation, it is better to consult a veterinarian. Even if the thread is stuck in the cat's intestines, do not remove it, as it can damage the intestines. She can leave the cat's body with feces on her own, or this will require the intervention of a specialist.

Preventive measures

If a kitten or a cat appeared in your house, then you need to know what to do so that she does not eat fish along with cellophane.

Do not throw away the peel from sausages, sausages, bags in which fish or meat was stored in places accessible to the cat. Keep garbage bags out of the cat's reach. So that the cat does not eat the peel from the sausage or sausage, throw it into a special bag, which will be stored in an inaccessible place. Store used cat food bags in the same place;
If there is a tree in the room, keep an eye on your pet. So that the kitten does not eat rain and tinsel, hang it high from the floor, do not let him play with it;
Remove ribbons, threads, especially knitting ones, so that the cat does not eat them, especially if you noticed the day before that he ate a rag or paper;
Do not allow the cat to eat a bag that smells like valerian, blisters from sedatives, which include this herb. Cats often lick things that have been touched by valerian and may swallow them.

Remember that your pet's health is in your hands. And his well-being, and in some cases life, will depend on your vigilance and attentiveness.

VETERINARY CONSULTATION REQUIRED. INFORMATION FOR INFORMATION ONLY.

A foreign body has fallen: how to properly remove it from a cat

The curiosity and active lifestyle of domestic cats often play a cruel joke with them, provoking the ingress of a foreign object into the gastrointestinal tract.

The owner of a fluffy fidget should know not only the symptoms of the disease, but also what to do in such a situation, what danger is a foreign object in the animal's body.

Often, in order to save the life of a pet, a veterinarian has to resort to surgical intervention.

Why does a cat swallow objects

Experienced breeders and veterinarians know that foreign bodies most often enter through the digestive tract.

Curious cats, playing with various objects that fall into their field of vision, often swallow them.

Especially often, during the operation, veterinarians discover caps from valerian, details of a children's designer, coins, construction debris, and burst balls.

The peak of appeals regarding the ingestion of a foreign object by animals falls, as a rule, on the New Year holidays. Bright tinsel, small Christmas decorations, parts of a garland, Christmas tree decorations attract the attention of curious cats with their brilliance and rustle.

Fluffy homebodies are not indifferent to needlework items (threads, needles, buttons, decorative elements) and fishing tackle (line, hooks, spinners, wobblers, etc.).

The risk group includes small kittens and young animals. Due to natural curiosity, lack of life experience, young animals try all new objects by mouth and often swallow them.

Endangered and animals left for a long time to themselves. A bored cat tries to entertain itself by playing with foreign objects.

Veterinarians also consider balls of hair in the stomach of a cat to be a dangerous foreign body.

Is a foreign body dangerous?

A foreign body that enters the digestive tract can lead to the following health problems:

dehydration of the body due to vomiting and refusal of the animal to take water;
pathology of cardiac activity up to a complete cardiac arrest due to the penetration of a sharp object through the wall of the stomach into the pericardium;
violation of the integrity, numerous ruptures and damage to the mucous membrane throughout the gastrointestinal tract during the movement of a foreign body due to peristalsis;
ulcerative lesions of the stomach, small and large intestines;
necrotic processes due to the long-term presence of non-sterile objects in the internal organs;
obstruction, invagination, intestinal obstruction;
perforation of the walls of internal organs with sharp objects;
peritonitis with a high percentage of death.

Symptoms in a cat

When an inedible object gets stuck in the esophagus, there is a strong salivation.
When an object is localized in the throat, the cat coughs, wheezes, cyanosis of the tongue and loss of consciousness may be noted.
The animal worries, stretches its neck, makes frequent swallowing movements.
Constant vomiting, belching. The duration of vomiting can last from several hours to several days, depending on the severity of damage to the digestive canal and the location of the object.
Complete lack of appetite, the animal refuses even its favorite treat.
Soreness in the abdomen, accumulation of gases, bloating.
Sluggish and apathetic state, drowsiness.
Stool retention, diarrhea, constipation.
Reducing the amount of feces.
In chronic obstruction, cachexia develops due to a decrease in appetite.
Signs of general intoxication of the body.

Mindful of the danger of foreign bodies entering the gastrointestinal tract of a domestic cat, the owner must immediately deliver the animal to a specialized clinic.

What to do when a cat has swallowed an object

The owner must ensure that the animal does not take food and water before visiting the veterinarian, provide the cat with complete rest and urgently deliver to a specialized clinic.

Diagnostics in the veterinary clinic

Plain radiography of the abdominal organs. It is carried out in two projections: direct and lateral. For a more detailed study, radiography is carried out in the vertical and horizontal position of the fluffy patient. The method allows you to determine the presence and localization of radiopaque objects (metal needles, paper clips, etc.).

On the x-ray: a penny in the intestines of a cat

To visualize foreign objects such as plastic, threads, a radiopaque substance is used, which is injected into the animal's body.
Ultrasound examination of the digestive canal and organs of the chest and abdominal cavity. The method allows to detect intestinal obstruction, to determine the state of intestinal motility.
With the help of a fiber optic fiberscope in a specialized institution, the pet will undergo an endoscopic examination of the esophagus and stomach. The method is effective if no more than 3-4 hours have passed since the foreign body was swallowed.

Laboratory methods for examining blood and urine are of an auxiliary nature and are necessary for the differential diagnosis of intestinal obstruction due to an infectious disease, intoxication, etc.

Deletion by operation

From the intestines

For information on how a foreign object is removed from the intestines of a cat using enterotomy, see this video:

From the stomach

Removal of threads from the stomach during gastrotomy

From the esophagus

Extraction of a foreign body (needle and thread) using an endoscope.

After a laparotomy, gastrotomy, or esophagotomy, the animal is placed on a 24-hour fasting diet.

Subsequently, the operated pet receives liquid food in small portions. Weakened and dehydrated animals are required to undergo infusion therapy.

For the prevention of peritonitis, postoperative complications, a course of antibacterial drugs is prescribed.

In complicated cases, the pet after the operation is left for 2-3 days in a specialized institution, using parenteral nutrition. A follow-up ultrasound examination is mandatory after the operation.

We recommend reading about why a cat has bloody stool. You will learn about the causes of blood in the stool, the actions of the owners before contacting the veterinary clinic, diagnosis and treatment.
And here is more about how to make an enema for a cat.

Prevention

Knowing about the serious consequences and the threat to life when swallowing foreign objects, The owner must strictly follow the following recommendations of veterinarians:

keep the room in which the fluffy pet lives clean;
there should not be any small things on the floor and within the reach of the animal;
the feed must be checked for the presence of foreign matter;
it is unacceptable to feed the cat with bones;
toys for a pet should be chosen soft and large in size.

The penetration of a foreign body into the digestive canal of a pet is a dangerous phenomenon for health and life.

The animal must be urgently delivered to a specialized institution for special diagnostic procedures in order to visualize the swallowed thing.

As a rule, treatment is reduced to the surgical extraction of a foreign body by laparoscopy, gastrotomy or esophagotomy, depending on its location.

Source: http://zootvet.ru/inorodnoe-telo-u-koshki/

Foreign body in the stomach of a cat

Getting into the stomach of pets of various objects that can clog or injure the digestive tract is a very common problem. What veterinary surgeons do not find during operations!

A foreign body in the stomach of a cat is a rather serious phenomenon that threatens the life of a pet and requires surgical intervention.

Causes of gastric obstruction in cats

Why do domestic cats swallow inedible objects? Polyphagia - a perversion of appetite, manifested in some pathologies, when animals purposefully eat everything in a row - is quite rare. The reasons for swallowing various things in most cases are quite commonplace, and obstruction of the stomach in a cat is most often a consequence of:

a game in which a cat accidentally swallows an object;
eating inedible things that have a pleasant smell, for example, a bag in which meat was lying, or sausage packaging;
chewing rustling objects (cats like to chew cellophane, tinsel, etc.);
feeding bones, especially those that have undergone heat treatment;
accumulations in the stomach of wool.

Small objects can remain in the lumen of the stomach, completely blocking its work, or pass into the intestines, causing an obstruction in the lower gastrointestinal tract.

Swallowed threads, ribbons, rain from the Christmas tree - what surgeons call linear bodies, can stretch along a significant segment of the gastrointestinal tract, collecting intestinal loops, injuring the walls of organs, causing perforation and necrosis.

If a part of a swallowed linear body is shown from the anus of a cat, in no case should it be pulled out! Such items very rarely leave the body on their own; when pulled, they can simply cut the intestines.

Some small objects can gradually accumulate in the stomach if their size prevents them from passing further into the duodenum, causing a gradual increase in symptoms and deterioration in the cat's well-being.

Sharp things, such as needles and bones in a cat's stomach, can pierce the stomach wall, causing cuts and punctures, affecting neighboring organs, and migrating into the abdominal cavity.

Symptoms of a foreign body in the stomach of a cat

The owners are not always able to notice the moment when the foreign body was swallowed. But there are certain symptoms of cat stomach obstruction that should alert the attentive owner:

refusal to feed;
vomit;
lack of stool;
depressed state;
when the process is running, exhaustion is possible;
sometimes it is possible to feel a solid formation in the stomach area.

In some cases, small objects can remain in the stomach for a long time, without causing severe discomfort at first, the symptoms appear only over time. For example, this happens with chicken vertebrae (if the animal is fed with chicken necks) or trichobezoars, which often fill the stomach of a cat with long hair.

Examination of a clogged stomach in a cat

To make a diagnosis, the examination of the animal begins with palpation, because large foreign bodies or their accumulation in the stomach are sometimes palpable. To establish the exact location, a study involving medical equipment is necessary.

Unfortunately, small or non-radiocontrast objects can be difficult to detect in a conventional image. It is recommended to do an x-ray in frontal and lateral projection with and without contrast, as well as an ultrasound examination to assess the patency of the digestive tract and exclude other diagnoses.

What to do with an obstruction of the stomach in a cat?

If the described symptoms appear or if the cat has been caught red-handed, it is very important to urgently contact a veterinary clinic, preferably well-equipped, in which a gastroenterologist sees a doctor.

If a small object was swallowed by a cat no more than half an hour ago, then it can be removed using a gastroscope. When the condition of the animal is severe or it is known that something sharp has entered the stomach, then an emergency diagnostic laparotomy is performed - an opening of the abdominal cavity in order to find and remove a foreign body.

In controversial cases, with good health and unclear localization of the subject, a series of studies described above is first carried out. If there are a lot of objects, it is very important to know where they are, since such operations are often accompanied by tissue incisions in several places, which is difficult for the body to tolerate.

How to help at home?

Swallowed inedible objects in most cases cause obstruction of the digestive tract, which is treated only promptly. When it is not possible to contact a veterinarian, the owners can watch the cat for a while - this will help to make at least some predictions.

Once the foreign body is in the cat's stomach, there is a chance that it will come out with vomiting within the next 2 hours. If this did not happen, but the animal feels well, and the size and type of the object allow us to hope that it did not cause blockage of the gastrointestinal tract, you can give vaseline oil 10 ml 4 times a day and carefully monitor if it has passed with feces .

Unfortunately, there are no therapeutic methods for treating a blockage or injury to the stomach (for example, if a cat has injured the stomach with fish bones) does not exist.

Cats cannot understand the danger of all those toys that they grab in their mouths. It is the owners who should protect their pets as much as possible from the possibility of swallowing something superfluous. You should not give them bones, you should remove small objects, threads from the floor, hide packages, refuse to decorate the Christmas tree with New Year's rain. These simple rules can save a cat's life.

Source: https://aroundpet.ru/inorodnoe-telo-v-zheludke-u-koshki/

Foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract of animals

In veterinary practice, sooner or later, every doctor is faced with a patient who has swallowed some inedible (and sometimes edible, but too large) object. Foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract of animals are very diverse. These can be toys, threads, rags, wood chips, large cartilage, bones, stones, hair / wool, Christmas decorations, etc.

Why do our pets have such a love for inedible items?

Very often the swallowing of such objects occurs during the game.

For example, cats love to play with threads/strings/tinsel, and because of the papillae on the tongue, which have the structure of hooks, they cannot spit out these items and swallow them. Another common reason is greed.

Dogs swallow treats (cartilage, large treats, etc.) without chewing them, which often leads to a violation of the gastrointestinal tract.

Where can foreign bodies be located in the gastrointestinal tract?

Foreign bodies can be located in any part of the gastrointestinal tract. This is:

pharynx;
esophagus;
stomach;
small intestine;
large intestine.

The location depends on the size, shape and material of the item.

What are the most common symptoms that can be observed to suspect foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract?

The most common symptoms of a foreign body in the gastrointestinal tract:

vomiting (often vomiting immediately after taking food, water; often foam, gastric juice);
possibly diarrhea, which is replaced by constipation (violation of the act of defecation may indicate a violation of the patency of the gastrointestinal tract);
lack of appetite;
lethargy (due to the general condition of the pet).

But you also need to remember that this set of symptoms is also characteristic of many other diseases, so it is important to conduct a set of examinations, the results of which can be used to make a diagnosis of "foreign body in the gastrointestinal tract."

Diagnostics

Collection of anamnesis.
Your pets are not always under close supervision, so it is possible that while you were not at home, the animal could play with something and inadvertently swallow it.
Be sure to remember when the change in condition occurred so that the doctor can assess the duration of the disease and possible complications.
Inspection.
Examination includes thermometry, palpation of the abdominal wall to assess whether pain is present, examination of the oral cavity and larynx, especially the sublingual region (very important in cats, since linear foreign objects are often hooked under the tongue), examination of accessible lymph nodes, visible mucous membranes .
Clinical and biochemical blood tests.
These tests are needed to make sure that these symptoms are not associated with a violation of internal organs, viral diseases, etc.
X-ray of the abdominal cavity in 2 projections.
This is a mandatory procedure in the presence of vomiting and / or constipation, diarrhea in animals. On the x-ray, the doctor can see radiopaque foreign objects (bones, toys with the addition of a radiopaque substance, wires, etc.).

), pneumatization of the intestine (the presence of gaseous contents in a particular section of the intestine), which may indirectly indicate the presence of a foreign object.
Rice. 1. Cat. Radiopaque foreign body in the stomach. Rice. 2. Dog. Radiopaque foreign bodies in the stomach. Rice. 3. Cat. Foreign body in the large intestine. Rice.

4. Cat. Foreign bodies in the small and large intestines. If no radiopaque foreign objects were found on the abdominal radiograph, but there are indirect signs that indicate this, then an abdominal radiograph is performed with the administration of a radiopaque substance (most often barium sulfate is used).

Orally set radiopaque substance and take a series of images after a certain time during which the contrast passes or does not pass through the gastrointestinal tract. Thanks to this method, it is possible to say about the patency of the gastrointestinal tract. Fig. 1. 5. Cat. Pictures taken 8 hours after giving contrast. Large accumulation of contrast in the large intestine.

Non-radioopaque foreign body. Rice. 6. Cat. Foreign body in the large intestine. Contrast study using barium sulfate.
Ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity.
It is carried out to assess the condition of the abdominal organs, the presence of free fluid. In order to detect a foreign body on ultrasound, special skills are needed, because it is quite difficult, one can judge its presence by indirect signs.

Learn more about veterinary x-ray services

The main consequences of finding a foreign body in the gastrointestinal tract of an animal

A foreign body in the gastrointestinal tract of an animal can lead to such consequences as:

diverticulum (pocket) in the wall of the esophagus;
traumatic gastritis, enteritis;
intestinal obstruction (partial or complete);
intestinal intussusception (one part of the intestine enters another);
necrosis of part of the intestine;
bowel perforation (rupture);
peritonitis (fluid in the abdominal cavity as a result of intestinal perforation);
fatal outcome.

Methods of treatment of a foreign body in the gastrointestinal tract

The method of choice of treatment depends on the location of the object, its size and material.

There are foreign objects that can come out on their own when symptomatic therapy is prescribed, if the bodies are small in size, and intestinal motility is normal.

As one of the methods of treatment, endoscopic extraction of a foreign object from the esophagus, stomach is used. If the object is small or made of soft material, it can be removed using endoscopic equipment.

Learn more about veterinary endoscopy services

Surgical treatment consists of an enterotomy or gastrotomy. This is the removal of a foreign body from the stomach or intestines by cutting their walls, followed by removal of the object and suturing the walls. Sometimes, due to complications, it is necessary to remove part of the intestine due to its necrosis.

More about veterinary general surgery services

You, dear owners, are of great importance for us, doctors, in the further recovery of patients, because it is you who must notice the change in the condition of the pets in time, contact us and provide postoperative care associated with taking certain drugs, certain food.

Keep a close eye on your pets. If you know that he has an unhealthy love for all sorts of inedible things, try to remove them from the reach. If you find one of the above symptoms, contact the clinic immediately.

Health to you and your pets.

Examples of foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract of animals from our practice

And in conclusion, I want to present you a selection of items that my colleagues and I extracted from our patients:

Rice. 7. Cat. A foreign body from the large intestine is a piece of a shower sponge (see Fig. 6). Rice. 8. Foreign body from the cat's stomach - hair ties that the cat ate 3 years ago (see Fig. 1). Rice. nine.

A foreign body from the small and large intestines of a cat is tinsel on a wire (see Fig. 4). Rice. 10. Foreign bodies from the small intestine of a cat - threads with helminths. Rice. 11. A foreign body from a dog's stomach is a toy. Rice. 12.

A foreign body from the large intestine of a cat is a piece of insulation (see Fig. 5).

Rogozina Elizaveta Igorevna, veterinarian, surgeon.

Source: http://gilvet.ru/stati/inorodnye-tela-v-zhkt-zhivotnyh/

Bowel obstruction in cats

The story is based on non-fictional facts I am writing in hot pursuit as this is happening to my cat right now.

The insidiousness of intestinal obstruction is that it can happen neither anywhere, nor with anyone, or ever, but with any cat, with any cat, and at any moment. And your pet is no exception. God grant that this never happens, but it is better to be prepared and in case of trouble know what to do.

Intestinal obstruction

This is a complete or partial cessation of the movement of contents through the intestines. The most common cause is blockage by a foreign body. This is followed by blockage as a result of a tumor, volvulus of the intestine, hernia or intussusception (penetration of one part of the intestine into another), etc.

Mechanical blockage by a foreign body reveals itself suddenly, like snow on the head. As it happened a few days ago with my cat Avatar. Who is the Avatar cat and what is special about him - see here, it will be interesting.

Avatar During the day the vomiting suddenly started. At first I did not attach any importance to this. Well, vomited once, who doesn’t happen to? Again. Already worried. And I was completely worried when the cat flatly refused to eat, without even looking in the direction of the bowl. For verification, she offered an impossible delicacy - a piece of chicken. Decisive refusal. Everything is bad!

The vomiting continued throughout the night. And the next morning we were already in the clinic. They immediately took blood for analysis and, without further ado, put me on a drip. Why?

What is dangerous obstruction

The cat's intestines work constantly, pushing the contents from the stomach to the anus. At the same time, an important nutrient fluid is continuously circulated: the digestive juices produced by the stomach and intestines, in the process of intestinal activity, already, together with dissolved nutrients, penetrate back into the intestine through the walls.

When a blockage occurs, the juices continue to be secreted, but now they, unable to move and be absorbed, accumulate in the stomach and small intestine, causing vomiting. With vomiting, a large amount of fluid and nutrients (especially potassium) is lost, rapid dehydration and weakening of the body occur.

Drinking water does not help, but only increases vomiting. Without treatment, the animal will die within 2-7 days.

Therefore, in case of serious violations in the work of the gastrointestinal tract (especially with obstruction!) Abundant intravenous infusions are needed to replenish the fluid.

In addition, at the site of blockage due to impaired blood circulation in the affected area, necrosis may occur - necrosis of the tissues of the intestinal wall, which will develop rapidly, which will also worsen the condition of the animal.
And further. It happens that staying in the intestine of a foreign body leads to its decomposition, oxidation, etc., and the release of toxic substances from it, which contributes to additional intoxication of the body.
Obstruction (as well as chronic constipation) provokes the reproduction of putrefactive and other harmful bacteria, which leads to a serious violation of the intestinal microflora.

The closer the blockage is to the stomach, that is, the more of the intestine is closed, the more severe the disease.

Obstruction symptoms

increasing vomiting
loss of appetite to complete refusal of food
complete absence of stool or slight stool
deterioration in general condition
painful enlarged belly

What to do? At the slightest suspicion of obstruction (especially if you know that the pet had the opportunity to eat something "wrong") - run to the clinic!

What not to do? Do not try to feed or water the cat - this will only provoke vomiting. Do not give an enema, as this can lead to rupture of the intestine. Do not give a laxative that increases the contraction of the intestinal muscles. Do not use antiemetic drugs that will only mask the symptoms without providing a therapeutic effect.

About vaseline oil

Vaseline oil is a purified oil fraction without harmful organic substances and their compounds, it mixes with fats and oils and has the properties of vaseline. Without being absorbed into the walls of the gastrointestinal tract, it envelops the obstacle in the form of feces, softens them and facilitates the process of pushing. The indication is constipation. Contraindication - intestinal obstruction.

So we come to a difficult dilemma: constipation or obstruction? With constipation, the accumulation and hardening of feces usually occurs in the middle and lower sections of the intestine. And vaseline oil is the first friend here. It can also help with partial obstruction.

With complete obstruction, the oil will aggravate the situation, becoming an additional burden in the digestive tract. In addition, it can “drag” a foreign object a little, damaging the intestinal walls and causing their necrosis.

Thus, giving a cat paraffin oil for a blockage is a risk: it may solve the problem, or it may worsen the situation.

Partial obstruction

With incomplete obstruction, part of the contents of the intestine can pass beyond the obstruction, but with complete obstruction, it cannot. With a partial blockage, the animal can survive, while a complete blockage is a mortal danger.

Avatar Two years ago, with the same Avatar (oh, the cat in trouble!) we experienced a partial obstruction. Avatar opened the cupboard under the kitchen sink and gutted the trash can.

For more than two weeks (!) the cat was lethargic, ate little by little and only soft food, there was a chair, but very poor. X-ray with contrast did not give an accurate result (50x50 - there seems to be an obstacle, but it seems that the contrast agent passes through it).

Droppers were given daily. Doctors leaned towards surgery.

Deciding that there was nothing to lose anyway, I literally pumped the cat with vaseline oil (I did this before, but not so decisively - there was no result).

And the Avatar finally gave out such a bunch of sausage skins that it was impossible to imagine how it all fit in a small intestine, lay there for two weeks, and the cat lived with it! But what was my amazement when the next day another similar pile came out. Just unbelieveble! Since then, the trash can has been under a secure lock.

Diagnosis of obstruction

With symptoms of acute obstruction, this dangerous disease is always excluded in the first place.

The diagnosis is established on the basis of clinical symptoms and examination by a physician. Careful probing will determine the "acute abdomen" and the painful area. Blood tests are needed to assess the condition of the cat and identify concomitant diseases. If obstruction is suspected - an x-ray of the abdominal cavity, for better information content - with a contrast agent.

If all these studies do not make it possible to make an accurate diagnosis, there remains a diagnostic laparotomy (as they say, "an autopsy will show") - an incision in the abdominal cavity - a surgical operation under general anesthesia, which will reveal the pathology.

Avatar So, while we were dripping (2 hours, no less), the test results were ready. Everything is normal for small deviations, which can be attributed to vomiting and hunger strike.

A thorough examination of the doctor, palpation revealed a painful area in the abdomen. In general, the formidable diagnosis of obstruction appears more and more clearly.

We leave for an x-ray, having previously pumped up (20 ml) with a contrast agent.

Why do we need a contrast agent In the body of an animal, along with bone tissue, which gives a clear shadow picture on x-rays, there is also soft tissue that creates a less dense shadow.

Therefore, if tissues and organs are approximately the same in density, then their boundaries are difficult to distinguish on an x-ray. This also applies to the abdominal organs - the liver, stomach, intestines, etc.

How can you see changes in them? For this, substances with a large atomic weight are used, creating a difference in density between the desired organ and the rest of the environment.

Barium sulphate is often used as a contrast agent for examination of the gastrointestinal tract. It is a chemically pure, harmless, insoluble white powder, odorless and tasteless.

Avatar In the process of feeding the cat with a cocktail of water and barium, everything was smeared - the table, the chair, the floor, the carrier, me, the doctor, and, finally, the cat itself. It is good that dried barium is easily cleaned like chalk.

We take a picture. And two things immediately become clear. Firstly, they gave the cat barium in vain, because, secondly, even without contrast, it is perfectly clear that the Avatar has in his stomach ... a metal bracket that fastens the skin at the end of the sausage.

A week before Avatar, there was a Sphynx Ramses in the clinic with symptoms of obstruction, from which the same sausage tip was removed as a result of the operation, and the doctors confidently identified his counterpart in the picture of my cat. Here is a picture.

A barium-filled stomach is clearly visible, followed by a wiry curl:

Of course, no one specifically gave him a dangerous "yummy". Just unwisely left on the table. The avatar cannot get anything from the table, but he has four-legged friends who helped him.

What to do? After conferring, we decide with the doctors to give vaseline oil a chance, given that it can work for my cat. Once again we drip for a long time, drink oil and go home.

At home, the Avatar's condition worsens. He literally howls, vomiting resumes. The stomach is so swollen that I understand that vaseline oil is not an option. After an anxious night, we are at the clinic in the morning. Again we drip and go to the operation.

Treatment of obstruction

Treatment begins immediately, even before a diagnosis is made. This is infusion therapy (droppers) to replenish the loss of water and nutrients, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics.

In severe cases, when intestinal blockage threatens the life of the animal, emergency surgical intervention is indicated. Sometimes the affected part of the intestine is removed.

The postoperative period includes a starvation diet for 12-24 (sometimes more) hours, again intravenous drips, antibiotics. Next - careful feeding with semi-liquid feed. For 14 days, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the sutures, which are then removed.

Avatar Avatar has a "colleague" in the operation - a tricolor cat Monya, whose x-ray shows ... the same foreign body as he has. Ha-ha! They go under the knife one after another.

Photographed trophies after extraction. Here they are. Avatarkin is on the left, Moni is on the right. Apparently, the sausage brace is a hit among foreign bodies in cats.

The operation was successful, the sausage element was removed, there was no necrosis of the intestinal tissue - only two reddish dots from the pressure of the metal (that's what it means to react in time!). The avatar is resting. Left for the night at the hospital. After coming out of anesthesia, he was prescribed an enema (a lot of feces accumulated) and, of course, a dropper.

Avatar, unlike other cats who have undergone surgery, does not need a post-op blanket, since he cannot lick his stomach. And a painful antibiotic can be put in the back muscle - there is no deep sensitivity. At least some pluses in paralysis.

The next day after the operation, the cat feels well, is active, turns his head, is interested in everything - not to compare with the recent state, when he was lethargic and lethargic. In the morning and in the evening - endless droppers. Finally, having taken an infusion solution and an antibiotic, we go home. Hooray!

At home, the cat behaves as if there was no serious operation. We are already digging on our own. How easy it is for doctors, and how difficult it is for a non-professional! We deal with sin in half.

Carefully start feeding with Royal Canin Recovery pate (1-2 teaspoons every 2-3 hours). Appetite excellent. The whole family breathed a sigh of relief. We rejoice. But in vain!

By the evening of the next day - a complete rejection of food. In the morning we go back to the clinic. We donate blood, we sit down to drip. Analyzes are normal, treatment - droppers, droppers and droppers again. The antibiotic continues on a continuous course. By evening, the cat begins to eat.

At home now. We continue with droppers, antibiotics, soft food. Avatar feels great, already chasing cats. True, he is still weak, he rests a lot, but this is normal. The seam is fine, although a little tight. Looks like the story of obstruction is coming to an end. Puff-puff-puff…

Do you think she will teach the Avatar something, and he will learn some lesson? No matter how! If someone has drawn conclusions, then it is not the victim, but his owners, that is, us.

Prevention of obstruction

Dear cat owners! If you don’t want terrible suffering for your pet, but for yourself a big headache in the form of moral suffering, as well as a huge investment of time and money (I’m afraid to even think how much the treatment would cost me if I didn’t work in the clinic! ), then just avoid this dangerous situation. Keep your pet away from small, inedible items that he could swallow.

Of particular interest to cats are sausage casings, feathers, pieces of paper and foil, pharmaceutical rubber bands, ropes and threads.

Threads with a needle are especially dangerous - it is fraught with damage to the gastrointestinal tract and even “stitching” of the intestine.

And a completely separate conversation - Christmas tree rain. However, the New Year is generally a source of many dangers for our pets - more on that here.

Conclusion: Please be vigilant and don't even accidentally leave anything "criminal". Don't give this terrible intestinal obstruction a chance!

P.S. Avatar The stool is formed, nutrition is restored, the stitches are removed. All! Deep breath...

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