Todayโs path rounds are on ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ ๐ง ๐๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ฌ!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
๐๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ ๐ง ๐๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ฌ are swallowed objects that are very long and thin, such as string or strips of cloth. Like other foreign bodies swallowed by animals, they can block normal flow of food through the intestinal tract.
๐๐ก๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
Any species can get this, but we most commonly see it in cats.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
Cats love to play with string or yarn, and in some cases they end up swallowing it. As the string passes into the intestinal tract, one end often becomes lodged around the base of the tongue, or the exit of the stomach. The rest of the string will flow freely down the intestinal tract, until the entire length of the string is uncoiled within the abdomen.
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ?
Having a long, immobile string in the intestine is pretty bad news! The intestine constantly contracts to push food along. When it contracts on the immobile string, it ends up bunching up in a characteristic pattern called ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง. In some cases, these pleats are so tight that food is unable to pass through! The contraction of the intestine against the string also damages the intestinal wall, and eventually may cause it to rupture.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ฌ๐๐?
The typical method of diagnosis is X-rays, which show the bunching of the intestines into a big ball. Ultrasound is also helpful to identify plication.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐?
The only real treatment is surgical removal of the string!
๐๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ฌ
1) An X-ray showing all the intestines in a big ball. Normally the intestines are found all over throughout the abdomen.
2-6) A bunch of bunched up intestines!
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ
Maxie, G. Jubb, Kennedy and Palmerโs Pathology of Domestic Animals, Volume 2. Sixth Edition.
Photos 1-3 ยฉ Noahโs Arkive contributor Dhein, Crowell, Morris licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photos 4-6 ยฉ University of Calgary Diagnostic Services Unit.
