Foreign bodies of the digestive tract (small intestine). Ingestion of a foreign object

Foreign body- this is any object that accidentally ended up in an unusual place. If we talk about the cat’s digestive tract, then a foreign body is any object that is not food. These could be clumps of wool, sewing thread, bone fragments, etc.

General symptoms.

In most cases, symptoms depend on the location of the object, and therefore on the irritation it causes, as well as on the extent to which the foreign object has blocked the digestive tract. Among common symptoms we can name the following:

♦ profuse drooling(especially if a foreign body is stuck in the esophagus);

♦ belching and/or vomiting. It can last from several hours to several weeks, if the obstruction is partial;

♦ complete lack of appetite;

♦ lethargy and drowsiness;

♦ bloating, due to a large accumulation of gases in the intestines;

♦ weight loss (this is in the case of chronic obstruction).

Causes.

The fact is that cats are very careful and attentive to what goes into their mouth, this distinguishes them from dogs. But sometimes, when playing too hard, they can accidentally swallow a foreign body.

Very often, kittens are attracted to the shiny New Year's rain hanging from the Christmas tree. Or pieces of bright thread (rope). And if these objects get into the cat's mouth, then it is very difficult for her to spit them out, as a result they swallow them.

How serious is this?

If it is a small foreign body and does not have any notches, then it will simply pass through the digestive tract without causing any problems. A large or irregularly shaped foreign body (for example: a piece of bone, a tuft of hair) may be partially, but in rare cases and completely block the digestive tract. In this case, the cat's life is threatened.

Almost all cats are at risk, but especially cats suffer , and etc. oriental breeds , which are known for their abnormal predilection for eating tissue.

Your actions.

If you know or suspect that your cat has ingested a foreign body, or if you notice any of the signs described above, contact your cat immediately. veterinary center. Do not feed your cat or allow her to put anything in her mouth until you have been examined by a veterinarian.

Prevention.

Never leave small or colorful items, especially if you have kittens in the house, in an easily accessible place. The best place for such items - a casket or box with a tight-fitting lid.

Health to you and your pets.

Foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract

It happens quite often when an animal comes to an appointment with symptoms similar to several diseases at the same time. In this case, the doctor needs to carefully examine the animal, find exactly those symptoms that will help him in the future. differential diagnosis. Typical symptoms may include vomiting, loose stool, dehydration, exhaustion to varying degrees. Vomiting in cats and dogs is a reflexive contraction of muscles, as a result of which the contents of the cat's stomach, and sometimes the intestines, are expelled through the mouth. Most often, vomiting in cats and dogs is not so much an independent disease as a consequence of some changes or disorders:

• a sudden change in the usual diet for a cat or dog;
• eating spoiled food;
• helminthic infestations;
• inflammation of the colon (colitis), which can cause diarrhea or constipation;
• foreign body in the stomach or intestines;
• hypersensitivity to food;
• neoplasms;
• hormonal disorders(eg diabetes or hyperthyroidism);
• viral infections(feline panleukopenia, canine distemper, roto- and coronavirus enteritis);
• ARF, CNP.

All objects that an animal can swallow can become foreign bodies. Dogs swallow foreign bodies more often than cats, although it is more difficult for cats to resist pulling off a sausage in a casing, New Year's rain from a tree, or needles and thread. In addition, healthy cats There are balls of fur in the stomach, which they periodically vomit. There are cases when a foreign body can pass through the gastrointestinal tract completely without any symptoms, and then, most likely, you will notice it after it has come out.

If a foreign body remains in the stomach, then, of course, it irritates its mucous membrane and causes gastritis. Vomiting some time after eating too characteristic symptom. If the foreign body has sharp edges, then severe pain, as well as violation of the integrity of the stomach wall and the development of peritonitis. If the “foreigner” has safely passed the stomach and moves further through the intestines, injuring it, then black feces appear or streaked with blood and mucus. Sometimes foreign bodies can remain in the stomach for quite a long time, even a month, without causing complete obstruction. During this time the animal develops: periodic or constant vomiting, severe dehydration, dull coat.

Diagnostics. The diagnosis is made comprehensively: Clinical signs, anamnesis, owner observations and special methods studies such as x-rays, ultrasound, endoscopy. In our clinic this is done using methods that are absolutely safe for your animal and have virtually no contraindications. For large dogs this can be done using a gastroscope to small dogs and cats using x-rays contrast agent and ultrasound.

Complications: rupture of the wall of the esophagus, with the development of pneumothorax (entry of air into chest cavity), which will inevitably lead to the death of the animal.

Treatment – surgical removal foreign body. The sooner the diagnosis is made, the less likely development of intestinal necrosis and peritonitis.

• Case Study 1. A dog of the breed was brought to the reception German boxer, age 1 year 6 months. The dog Agatha was playing on the street with a stick and swallowed it. She was taken to the clinic 20 minutes after the incident. At initial examination a foreign body was sticking out of the mouth, there were signs of suffocation and minor bleeding. After sedation, a stick 21.5 cm long and 2.5 cm in diameter was removed. The dog was discharged an hour after the procedure.

• Case Study 2. Bar's dog, 2 years old, Bernese Mountain Dog, was admitted to the clinic with periodic vomiting and preserved appetite. Foreign body in thin section intestines - about 50 cm of necrotic area with foreign bodies was removed: a cotton glove, fragments of clay tiles. Dog after surgery and course intensive care, aimed at preventing peritonitis and detoxification, was discharged from the clinic on the 4th day. Further treatment included dietary food RC Recovery, a course of antibiotics, antispasmodics, proton pump inhibitors.

• Case Study 3. Dog Gracia, 4 years old, German Shepherd, is in the service of the Federal Drug Control Service of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Tatarstan. A foreign body was removed from the stomach - a ball weighing 150 g, diameter 7 - 8 cm. The dog was operated on and discharged from the clinic on the 3rd day. After the operation, the animal was discharged on the 3rd day.

• Case Study 4. Dog Bonita, 1 year old, Bernese Mountain Dog. She swallowed a children's car, which safely passed through the gastrointestinal tract without harm to health.

• Case Study 5. Cat, 1 year old, entered in serious condition. Conventional radiography revealed a metallic foreign body.

With intestinal obstruction in cats, symptoms and methods of treatment are closely related, and the latter depends on the intensity of the former. This is a rather severe pathology caused by blockage of the digestive organs by some foreign body, tumor, intussusception, or complete intestinal paralysis. Without timely treatment Absolutely all animals with intestinal obstruction die within a few days. Insidiousness of this disease is what will happen this pathology can at any time with any cat or cat. Therefore, timely diagnosis can sufficiently alleviate the pet’s suffering and even save its life.

In the stomach of any animal there is a continuous production large quantities digestive juices. This process is absolutely independent of food intake and occurs even during prolonged fasting. Main function intestines - pushing the contents of the stomach towards anus. As they move through the organ, these digestive juices are absorbed back through the intestinal walls, but along with nutrients, carrying out a constant circulation of a large amount of vital fluid.

At intestinal pathology, namely, obstruction of the organ, regardless of the reasons that caused it, this circulation is disrupted: gastric juice is produced in the same volume, but it can no longer be absorbed along with the promoted food.

Reasons for the phenomenon

A sufficiently large volume of fluid accumulates in the stomach and small intestine, associated with blockage of the passages, which causes nausea and vomiting in the cat. In this case, dehydration of the animal’s entire body occurs and loss of vitality occurs. important elements: potassium and sodium. Even drinking water during an exacerbation of pathology has the opposite effect - it increases vomiting and accelerates the process of dehydration. It is from the loss of fluid and necessary elements and the vast majority of animals die.

Intestinal obstruction can be caused by:

Symptomatic manifestations

A serious pathology - intestinal obstruction - is expressed by fairly clear symptoms that allow you to quickly diagnose the disease and begin treatment in a timely manner. Symptoms of pathology depend on the character and habits of the animal:

1. Some cats begin to actively run and meow loudly and forcefully, trying to attract the owner’s attention to their problem. Others, on the contrary, become lethargic and apathetic, and experience excessive sleepiness.
2. In all cases, the animal loses its appetite, up to complete refusal from eating, even despite the growing feeling of hunger. Any piece of food swallowed by a pet cannot be completely digested and causes unbearable pain.
3. The animal begins to vomit, which is of an increasing nature.
4. The pet's belly is greatly and quite noticeably enlarged, which he does not allow to be touched, since the slightest touch causes him severe pain. When palpating such a belly, tension and hardness are clearly felt; sometimes you can even feel foreign objects.
5. The animal has increased gas formation, which inflates the area even more abdominal cavity. At the same time, some individuals constantly lick their belly and roll on the floor, thus trying to relieve attacks of pain.
6. When constipated, the animal suffers from the inability to relieve the intestines, it has insignificant stool. At intestinal obstruction feces cannot leave the animal’s body at all, no matter how hard it tries.

All these symptoms indicate the development of pet intestinal obstruction, and it is quite difficult not to notice them. As soon as an animal exhibits abnormal behavior that is not characteristic of it, it is necessary to immediately contact a veterinary clinic, where, with the help of necessary methods Doctors will be able to diagnose correct diagnosis and prescribe the necessary treatment.

Methods of treatment and prevention

When contacting the clinic, treatment begins immediately, even before a final diagnosis is made: infusion therapy(droppers), with the help of which the fluid balance is restored and nutrients in the animal's body. Treatment is carried out with anti-inflammatory, painkillers and antibiotics. In more complex cases, when intestinal obstruction threatens the life of the animal, emergency surgery is performed to remove the affected part of the intestine.

The period after surgery consists of following a strict, “starvation” diet for several days and long-term treatment drug therapy. Over the course of several weeks, the animal is gradually transferred to liquid and semi-liquid food, carefully monitored general condition and especially behind the seams.

Like any other disease, intestinal obstruction is much easier to prevent than to treat. For this there are a number preventive measures, following which, you can avoid the occurrence of many pathological conditions and avoid unpleasant consequences. The most important thing is to try to make some quite dangerous objects that the animal can swallow inaccessible.

Of particular interest to cats are bird feathers, sausage casings, pieces of foil and even plain paper, rubber bands, threads and small ropes. Threads with a needle are very dangerous: if they are swallowed, it is possible to serious damage gastrointestinal tract. A separate danger is posed by Christmas tree decorations: tinsel and rain, which can also cause the development of pathological processes in the animal's body when ingested.

Don't limit your diet pet only dry food, which leads to constant constipation and bloating. The animal should be provided with a sufficient amount of fluid, and for long-haired breeds it should be purchased special additives and food that helps remove hairballs from the intestines of cats. Pets of such breeds should be constantly and thoroughly combed, especially during the molting period, which reduces the risk of developing pathology after hair gets into their body.

Minor inconvenience or deadly danger, which can “fall out of the blue” on absolutely any owner and pet at the most unexpected moment. Intestinal obstruction in cats can have a number of causes and lead to different consequences, but there is one condition that is never known - when and why the disease will arise. By the way, intestinal obstruction and constipation are different ailments, although they are often compared. The information below is a must read if you have a cat in your home - early diagnosis intestinal obstruction saves lives.

For convenience, we will arrange the causes of the disease by “popularity”:

• Physical blockage of the intestines - the cat eats a stone, film, piece synthetic fabric, adored by all cats, New Year's tinsel and other items that are not broken down by stomach acid. After entering the intestines, the “bug” curls up into a dense lump and blocks the intestinal opening.

• Tumors, hematomas, swelling of the intestines or other organs - physical pressure is exerted on the intestinal region.

• Hernia, formation of windows with subsequent penetration of one intestine into another, physiological disturbances in the formation of the gastrointestinal tract.

• Lack of intestinal motility or excessive spasmodic activity.

• Complete intestinal obstruction– the intestine is blocked or compressed completely; feces, liquids and gases cannot pass through it. Extremely dangerous condition, which is always accompanied by impaired blood supply, resulting in necrosis, toxicity and increased physical pressure on internal organs. Without proper assistance, most often surgical intervention, toxins and necrosis lead to death.

• Partial intestinal obstruction in cats– there is a “lumen” in the intestine that allows some of the gases and liquids to drain away. Condition leading to active death beneficial microflora intestines and its replacement by colonies of putrefactive bacteria.

Read also: Struvite in the urine of a cat: causes of formation and treatment

The next criterion that influences the clinical picture is the position of the blockage in relation to the stomach. There are high, medium and low - the closer to the stomach the intestines are blocked, the more severe the condition and more serious fight for a life. Returning to “rams”, or more precisely, constipation - chronic intestinal obstruction in cats is accompanied by regular problems with bowel movements, flatulence, and unpleasant odor from the mouth. Finding the root causes of chronic obstruction is difficult, sometimes impossible, for this reason, treatment is carried out symptomatically with constant adjustments.

Diagnosing intestinal obstruction at home

Considering that a clinical examination includes an x-ray, in which the area and degree of blockage are visible visually, your “master’s” task is to distinguish and correctly compare the first signs of the disease:

• Poor appetite and complete ignoring of food, after a few hours - refusal of water.

• Unsuccessful attempts to go to the toilet, while the cat meows, groans, and groans. Nausea, .

• Visually noticeable, painful on palpation.

If we notice something like this, we pack up and go to the veterinary clinic, and on the way we remember: what the pet ate for the last 24 hours, how it behaved, whether it showed interest in eating inedible things, when they “chased” the worms, in what sequence the symptoms appeared.

Presence the following symptoms against the background of swelling, they talk about acute condition and requires immediate surgery:

• Vomiting feces– We don’t give antiemetics.

• Dehydration– don’t inject saline, it lowers the temperature. To replenish the fluid supply and partially relieve toxicity, Ringer’s solution is suitable from the “handy” solution.

• A drop in base body temperature below 37°– wrap the animal in a sweater or blanket and apply a heating pad.

Read also: Demodicosis in cats - symptoms, treatment and prevention

Important! The appearance of an extensive hematoma or bruise on the side - signals a rupture of the intestine and entry into feces into the body cavity, may be accompanied by extensive internal bleeding. Time ticks by in minutes! Either the veterinarian will open the animal and remove the lesion, or the cat will die.

Treatment of intestinal obstruction

It is optimal to take the animal to the veterinary clinic immediately after refusing to eat. Even if it is not an intestinal obstruction, the veterinarian will have a short window of time for more accurate diagnosis. If after palpation the doctor suspects an obstruction, the cat will be prescribed:

• Blood and urine analysis to determine the degree of damage and toxicity.

• X-ray with contrast agent. The drug is administered orally to more clearly display the obstruction on the image.

• Depending on the clinical picture, an operation is performed, if time permits, the animal is placed under a drip and an attempt is made to physically flush the intestines.

It should be noted that surgery necessary if the intestines are clogged with insoluble substances, for example, a lump of cellophane or the animal’s condition is critical. During surgery, a fragment of the intestine is often removed, the walls of which have been irrevocably damaged, in other words, rotted. In other cases, the veterinarian will recommend “fighting” the disease on an outpatient basis - treatment at home with a mandatory visit to the doctor.

Important! Until the diagnosis is finalized, the cat should not be given laxatives! If the cause of the blockage is a foreign body, spasms can cause intestinal rupture. Never give your cat laxatives without consulting your doctor; many human medications are toxic to animals!

Intestinal obstruction in cats is scientifically called ileus. To say that coprostasis is obstruction is not entirely true. After all, in fact, coprostasis is rather constipation. But with constipation, feces form and come out, albeit with difficulty (dry, compressed, small). But if a cat has ileus, then there will be no feces at all; they simply cannot leave the intestines, since its lumen is closed (gases, by the way, also do not leave the gastrointestinal tract). So what should you do if your cat is diagnosed with intestinal obstruction? Let's figure it out.

The causes of intestinal obstruction in cats may be the following.

Coprostasis

Sometimes constipation causes intestinal blockage. But this various diseases. When feces become too dry, they “join” into a lump, making it difficult for them to “exit” out. They accumulate and “clog” the intestines. They do not pass out on their own, and new feces are not allowed to leave the digestive tract.

This condition is dangerous because the body is “poisoned”. The animal develops severe intoxication (it’s not for nothing that the digestive tract is cleared of feces, because this is waste that is no longer needed). If this "garbage" long time remain in the body, then toxins are absorbed into the blood through the intestinal mucosa and spread throughout circulatory system to all cells.

Foreign body in the intestine

Yes, sometimes a cat swallows something that cannot be digested. For example, threads, New Year's rain. They will not dissolve in the stomach, they will end up in the intestines, they will get tangled there, and the chance that foreign objects will come out on their own is very small. Giving laxatives can lead to intestinal rupture. Therefore the only the right decision will - immediately seek help from a veterinarian, who will operate on the pet and remove what should not have entered the animal’s gastrointestinal tract.

Volvulus

Or intussusception (when one loop of intestine gets into another and gets pinched). IN in this case Not only the obstruction itself is dangerous, but also the fact that the enclosed area does not receive enough blood (the vessels are pinched). The longer the animal does not receive help, the the consequences are worse. Invagination can occur due to increased motility and non-rhythmic peristalsis.

Pylobezoar

This “scary” name literally means “ball of hair.” This ball can form due to the fact that the cat licks its fur coat and swallows the hairs that fall out. Wool accumulates in the intestines (if there is a lot of it and it was not regurgitated by the mustache), because it is not digested. Gastrointestinal tract she's getting clogged. And that’s it, feces cannot come out. The contents of the intestine can only advance as far as the “plug” of wool, cannot move the bezoar, as a result, severe intoxication, stretching of the intestinal walls, up to their rupture. Most often this reason recorded in long-haired cats. An important role is played by age (old people and small kittens lose more hair), and health status (sick mustaches shed more than healthy ones), and the time of year (no one has canceled annual molts), and nutrition (if it is not balanced, then hair problems cannot be avoided).

Neoplasms in the intestines

Sometimes tumors grow very large and completely cover the intestinal lumen. If the owner gives the animal a laxative, this will not only not help, but may also worsen the animal’s condition. Without surgical intervention it will not be possible to save the pet.

Kinds

As surprising as it may sound, there are several types of intestinal obstruction in cats.

1. Mechanical. With this type, the intestines are blocked or pinched by something. For example, intestinal volvulus, a foreign object or hair clogged the gastrointestinal tract,
2. Functional. He's paralytic. It is registered due to peritonitis, atony of the intestinal walls (when they are weak, there is no tone and peristalsis), disturbances nervous activity or during the period when the animal “recovers” from anesthesia. This is why you should not feed the animal after surgery. Even if the cat asks, you cannot feed it in the first hours after “recovering” from anesthesia.

Symptoms

The photo shows an x-ray of intestinal obstruction in a cat.

How to determine intestinal obstruction in a cat? Signs and symptoms of this disease may vary from pet to pet. For example, some are depressed and extremely lethargic, while others, on the contrary, are very active, the cat rushes around the house, meows loudly, and tries in every possible way to attract the attention of its owners. Let's look at the main ones.

Attention! The diagnosis can be confirmed using an x-ray. As you understand, you cannot do this at home, even if you have discovered symptoms of intestinal obstruction in your cat. To help your pet, you need to immediately contact a veterinary clinic. You should not delay contacting a specialist, otherwise the mustache may die. Self-medication is not only ineffective, but can also be dangerous.

Treatment

It is necessary to treat a cat with intestinal obstruction only in veterinary clinic. No home self-medication, herbs, massages, etc. It’s one thing when a cat has coprostasis (constipation) or flatulence (a lot of gas accumulates in the intestines). But if a cat has an obstruction, then you need to figure out the cause first.

1. If the ileus is mechanical, then surgical intervention will be required. This is the fastest and safe way save the animal. The use of a laxative can lead to intestinal rupture, peritonitis and, as a result, the death of a beloved four-legged family member.
2. If coprostasis has led to the fact that the cat cannot poop (although the first day there may be loose stools, the body seems to be trying to “wash out” the foreign body from the intestines), then the veterinarian will do an enema, first put a drip with saline solution or inject it subcutaneously (so that there was no dehydration). But before this, the doctor must make sure that the enema will not harm the animal and will not lead to intestinal rupture! To do this, you need to carry out several additional examinations(ultrasound, x-ray)

The dacha is effective Vaseline oil. The animal's diet is left wet food, more fiber (vegetables). But this can only happen if the patency is impaired due to dry feces. But for other reasons of obstruction it is contraindicated!

Already after extraction foreign object from digestive tract, the animal can be prescribed anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and even painkillers.

Don't delay treatment! Without it, the animal can die within a week! Sometimes death is registered already on the second day after the appearance of the first symptoms!

Prevention

Prevention of intestinal obstruction in cats is extremely important. Let's look at the 3 main components of effective prevention.

If you feed dry food, do not forget that the animal should always have access to clean and fresh water. And pay attention to those that have a “function” - to help remove hair from the digestive tract. This food is especially good for long-haired cats or old cats (or those that shed heavily).

Brush your mustache

Don't neglect this. Buy special combs, combs, mittens. The more carefully you care for your pet, the better its fur will look and the cat will feel. Agree, if you comb a cat’s skin, then when licking the purr, it will swallow a minimum of hairs.

No small or inedible items

Don't let your purring pet play with small and inedible items(plastic bags, tinsel or New Year's rain, threads, pieces of paper, candy wrappers, etc.). During play, the animal may swallow them, they will not be digested, and the lumen of the digestive tract will be “closed.” Keep your pet away from your laces, buttons, and locks. Also remove toys with small parts; after all, the cat can chew them while playing and choke on the small parts. Hide the trash can too! Skins, bones, sausage casings - all this can be easily pulled out of the trash. The cat will eat this poison and clog its gastrointestinal tract.

Still have questions? You can ask them to our site's in-house veterinarian in the comment box below, who as soon as possible will answer them.