Tag: Gastrointestinal

Does administration of antiemetic medications to dogs and cats with gastrointestinal foreign body obstruction delay  time to definitive care (surgery or endoscopy) and increases the risk of complications? 

Puzio et al., JVECC 2023 (Blue Pearl, Wisconsin, USA) performed a retrospective study on 440 dogs and 97 cats to answer this question. The study found that, while antiemetic administration prolonged the time from clinical signs to definitive care (3.2 days vs. 1.6 days; P < 0.001), it did not significantly increase the risk of complications related to foreign body obstruction. However, the use of antiemetics was associated with a longer hospitalization period (1.6 days  vs. 1.1 days; P < 0.001). The study suggests that antiemetics are not inherently contraindicated in gastrointestinal foreign body obstruction cases, but veterinarians should advise clients to closely monitor their pets for symptom progression and seek follow-up care accordingly.

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A 2-year-old spayed female standard poodle was referred to a specialty private practice for evaluation of a suspected small intestinal mechanical obstruction. Two weeks prior, the dog started vomiting and stopped eating. The initial diagnostic work-up performed by her primary veterinarian showed normal bloodwork, and the dog received regular supportive care on an outpatient basis. Due to the presence of persistent vomiting and inappetence, the abdominal survey radiographs were performed, and they were consistent with the gastrointestinal obstruction as it was interpreted by a board-certified radiologist.

Continue reading “Mechanical GI Obstruction: Fake News?”