GASTROTOMY FOR THE REMOVAL OF A GASTRIC FOREIGN BODY IN A ROTTWEILER BITCH: A CASE REPORT.

Abstract

Foreign body ingestion is a common occurrence in small animal surgical practice, especially in young dogs, and may result in partial or complete gastrointestinal tract obstruction. This study aimed to report the case of a 1-year-and-4-month-old intact female Rottweiler weighing 35 kg, treated at a veterinary hospital in the municipality of Caucaia, Ceará, Brazil, after ingesting a latex toy. The patient presented with recurrent vomiting and pain upon epigastric palpation. Emergency ultrasonographic and radiographic examinations were performed, confirming the presence of a gastric foreign body measuring approximately 4 cm in diameter. Gastrotomy was chosen as the treatment and performed on the day following hospitalization under inhalational general anesthesia. The procedure was completed without complications, and a rubber ball located in the pylorus was manually removed. The patient showed satisfactory recovery and was discharged 24 hours later with prescriptions for antibiotic therapy, anti-inflammatory medication, and analgesics. It is concluded that early diagnosis, combined with prompt surgical intervention and an appropriate anesthetic and therapeutic protocol, was essential for the successful outcome of the case, highlighting the importance of detailed anamnesis and imaging examinations in the detection of gastric foreign bodies in veterinary practice.