Advances in Animal and Veterinary Sciences

Case Report

Gastrointestinal Obstruction due to Linear Foreign Body in a Cat: A

Case Report
Nandini M.K1, Poonam Vishwakarma2*, Veeranna Mahesh3

My Pet`s choice, The Companion Animal Clinic, Bangalore, India; 2Biosafety Support Unit, Government of India,
1

New Delhi, India; 3Department of Surgery and Radiology, Veterinary College Hebbal, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.

Abstract | An 8 months old domestic short hair female cat was presented with a history of listlessness, persisted vomiting,
anorexia and dyschezia. Abdominal palpation revealed severe abdominal pain and tensed abdomen. A complete blood
count (CBC) and routine serum biochemical analysis was within the range and even survey radiograph not shown any
abnormality. An abdominal 12 hrs and 24 hrs contrast radiographs demonstrated partial obstruction due to the linear
foreign body. An emergency celiotomy was performed and linear foreign body removed by performing enterotomy and
gastrotomy. The cat was recovered uneventfully. Prompt presentation and diagnosis, and surgical intervention improved
the outcome of gastrointestinal obstruction by linear foreign body.

Keywords | Cat, Foreign body, Obstruction, Celiotomy

Editor | Kuldeep Dhama, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Received | August 21, 2017; Accepted | August 28, 2017; Published | October 08, 2017
*Correspondence | Poonam Vishwakarma, Biosafety Support Unit, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Government of India, New Delhi, India; Email: drpoon-
[email protected]
Citation | Nandini MK, Vishwakarma P, Mahesh V (2017). Gastrointestinal obstruction due to linear foreign body in a cat: A case report. Adv. Anim. Vet. Sci.
5(10): 416-418.
DOI | http://dx.doi.org/10.17582/journal.aavs/2017/5.10.416.418
ISSN (Online) | 2307-8316; ISSN (Print) | 2309-3331

Copyright © 2017 Nandini et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Introduction tensed abdomen.

G astrointestinal foreign bodies (FB) are commonly en-

countered in first-opinion companion animal practice
and may present with a variety of clinical signs depending
A complete blood count (CBC) and routine serum bio-
chemical analysis was done. The haematological param-
eters were well within the reference range with Hae-
on the location, the degree and the duration of the ob- moglobin-13.6 gm/dl; Total leucocyte count-8600/µl;
struction (Hayes, 2009). Linear foreign body obstruction Platelets- 3.80 x 105/ µl; a normal differential leucocytes
can result in chronic, intermittent, gastrointestinal disease profile (Neutrophils- 36%, Lymphocytes-59 %, Eosin-
in cats (Saundra and Charles, 1991). The present paper ophils- 4% and Monocytes-1%). The serum biochemical
describes the prompt diagnosis and surgical intervention analysis showed normal creatinine (1.3 mg/dl) and AST
leading to complete recovery of a cat presented with partial (42 U/l) values. The cat was administered with Ranitidine
gastrointestinal obstruction due to linear foreign body. (@ 1 mg/kg b.wt. s/c) and Metoclopramide (0.2 mg/kg
b.wt. i/m) to counteract vomiting and, fluid therapy (lac-
Case History and Observations tated Ringer’s solution @ 200 mL ql2h i/v) was given for
An 8 months old domestic shorthair female cat was pre- correcting dehydration and improving tissue perfusion.
sented to the clinic with a history of listlessness, persisted Survey radiography did not show any abnormality. Barium
vomiting, anorexia and dyschezia. On presentation, the cat sulphate contrast radiography was done at post 12 hours
was afebrile (38.8°C) and physical examination revealed (Figure 1) and 24 hours (Figure 2) and 33 hours (Figure 3),
depression, dehydration, pale mucous membranes. On linear streak barium stasis was noticed in intestinal loops.
abdominal palpation revealed severe abdominal pain and Then, it was decided for exploratory laparoenterotomy.
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Preoperative stabilization was initiated with antibiotic in-
jection. Cefazolin at 20 mg/kg i/m and Inf. Metronidazole
at 10mg/kg i/v and fluid therapy with lactated Ringer’s
solution @ 200 mL i/v). The cat was prepared for aseptic
surgery on the ventral midline after premedication with
Diazepam @ 0.5 mg/kg i/m. Induction and maintenance
of anaesthesia was done with Isoflurane and oxygen mix-
ture. A mid line Laparotomy is done to expose the abdo-
men, the intestinal loop is palpated and exteriorised out.
Upon identification of the intraluminal mass enterotomy
was performed and on thorough examination it was a
linear foreign body. It was difficult to remove the foreign
body completely because of its continuing cranial heading
towards stomach. The stomach was opened and complete Figure 2: Lateral Radiograph after 20 hours of barium
linear foreign body was removed. The gastrotomy and en- sulphate meal shows streaking of intestinal loop with
terotomy wound were closed with inverted double layer barium
pattern and simple interrupted knots inside the lumen re-
spectively. The linear FB of around 105 cm made of string
and thread was removed (Figure 4). Entire gastrointestinal
tract was evaluated before closing. No areas of perforation
or compromised vascular supply were observed and, there-
fore, intestinal resection was not necessary. Abdominal lav-
age was performed with warmed Normal saline solution
and abdomen was closed routinely. The cat recovered from
anesthesia without complications. Postoperatively food
and water were withheld for 3 days and cat was maintained
with parenteral nutrition which included crystalloids and
colloids twice daily and antibiotic was continued for seven
days post-surgery, later on advised to give liquid and sem-
isolid food. Sutures were removed on 10th day of surgery.
Animal recovered uneventfully.
Figure 3: Lateral Radiograph after 33 hours of barium
sulphate meal revealing accumulation of Barium in the
intestinal loop and Barium has not passed into the rectum
confirms intestinal obstruction

Figure 1: Lateral Radiograph after 12 hours of barium sul-

phate meal revealing pleated or plicated appearance of the
intestinal loop suggestive of linear foreign body
Figure 4: Surgical removal of linear foreign body
Linear FBs produce a unique type of intestinal obstruction
in small animals because they may cause serious and exten- 1984). In the present case, gastrointestinal obstruction due
sive damage to the intestinal tract contrary to the present to linear foreign body was noticed in a cat which showed
case. Linear FBs are more commonly reported in cats than an uneventful recovery after prompt diagnosis and surgical
in dogs and in 90.6% cases of FBs are thread (Felts et al., intervention.
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 Advances in Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Acknowledgements References
We would like to acknowledge My Pet`s choice, The Com- • Felts JF, Fox PR, Burk RL (1984). Thread and sewing needles
panion Animal Clinic, Bangalore, India for providing re- as gastrointestinal foreign bodies in the cat: a review of 64
quired diagnostic and treatment (surgery) facilities. cases. J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 184(1): 56-9.
• Hayes G (2009). Gastrointestinal foreign bodies in dogs and
Conflict of Interest cats: a retrospective study of 208 cases. J. Small Anim.
Pract. 50(11): 576-83. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-
5827.2009.00783.x
Authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. • LG Papazoglou, MN Patsikas, T Rallis (2003). Intestinal foreign
bodies in dogs and cats. Compend Contin Educ Pract. Vet .
25(11): 830-844.
Authors Contribution
• Saundra EW, Charles SF (1991). Partial gastrointestinal
obstruction for one month due to a linear foreign body in a
All the authors have contributed in terms of giving their cat. Can. Vet. J. 32: 689-691.
technical knowledge to frame the article.

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