Welcome to the summer edition of Small Talk!
For those of you planning to travel abroad on
the pet passport scheme this summer, we
have a timely article looking at potential exotic
diseases not commonly seen in the UK. If you
are staying in the UK, the hot weather can
increase the risk of other illnesses. Heat
stroke is a potentially fatal illness and we all
must remember the danger of animals being
left in vehicles. Foreign bodies in cats and
dogs can lead to complicated problems; we
provide some hints and tips of what to look
out for. Finally, the role of the veterinary nurse
is highlighted in the article which focuses on
the nursing care of surgical patients. Summer
can be a brilliant time to enjoy with your pets
and family so have fun!
Enjoy your
summer...
Welcome...
Gary Jennings BSc, BVetMed, MRCVS
,
Hook Norton Veterinary Group
Foreign Bodies
in Cats and Dogs
T
he most common cases occur in puppies
or young dogs. Being inquisitive in nature
they like to chew and mouth objects which
can be ingested and possibly become lodged
in the gut. Common offenders are stones,
bones, toys and items of clothing which can be
embarrassing for the owner when you retrieve
several pairs of pants from a stomach! Clinical
signs can vary from intermittent vomiting if the
object is rattling around the stomach, to an
acutely ill dog if the object is stuck in the small
intestine. Chop or chicken bones are particularly
bad as they have sharp edges which can lodge
and penetrate the gut resulting in a fatal
infection. The best way to prevent intestinal
foreign bodies in young dogs is to ensure that
toys and clothing are not left lying on the floor
and small bones are not given.
Other common offenders are young cats which
like to chew string or wool. Something as
innocuous as string can be lethal as the gut
tends to grip the thread, telescope itself along
its length and can result in perforation with fatal
consequences if left. Signs are often vomiting,
lack of appetite and lethargy.
The really challenging cases involve the
ingestion, inhalation or penetration of plant
material. Cats and dogs often chew grass
which is covered in small barbs and this can
get stuck behind the soft palate. This can
result in a dramatic onset of gagging,
retching, sneezing, and occasionally grass
sticking out of the nostril. Other common
cases involve dogs running onto thrown
sticks, thorn injuries in pads and working
dogs which inhale grass seeds. Grass seeds
are notoriously problematic as they tend to
migrate and result in infection in many areas of
the body. These cases often present with vague
signs such as a high temperatures, off food and
maybe a mild cough. As plant material can't be
seen easily on x-ray it can be very difficult to
locate the foreign body and may require CT or
MRI scans to find the object.
On a final good note, in most cases, once the
culprit is found and removed the animal will
generally make a full recovery.
by
Bob Pettit BSc (Hons) BVM&S Cert SAS
MRCVS
Kingsway Veterinary Group
Foreign bodies in cats and dogs can be the most rewarding or frustrating
cases we see as vets. It never ceases to amaze me what we sometimes
retrieve from our patients, ranging from stones, toys to kitchen knives!
DID YOU KNO
Sticks
may splinter and
damage to a dog’s dig
system as they pass thr