Foreign Body & Peritonitis in a Pregnant Dog

Athena, a 2-year-old pregnant mastiff, was presented for vomiting and lethargy of several days duration. The patient was febrile (104F), depressed, anxious, lethargic, and dehydrated (5%-7%), with injected mucous membranes and apparent pain on caudal abdominal palpation. There was no evidence of vaginal discharge. According to the owner, the dog had been in estrus 60 days previously. A CBC revealed neutropenia with toxic changes and increased band neutrophils. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed 4 to 5 live fetuses (in utero 45-50 days), free abdominal fluid, and an echoic structure in the small intestine. Radiographs revealed loss of serosal detail, bowel dilation, and a radiodense foreign body in the cranial intestinal area. Organ displacement caused by pregnancy prevented better localization of the foreign body with noninvasive diagnostic techniques. To avoid potential uterine perforation, abdominocentesis was not performed. The diagnosis was intestinal foreign body with potential perforation and subsequent peritonitis. Hospitalization, antibiotic therapy, and abdominal exploratory were recommended.

COX = cyclooxygenase, NSAID = nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug, CBC = complete blood count, NSAID = nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug