Gastric foreign body in a ferret

Rivera Viera, Miraida

Gastric foreign body in a ferret

Abstract

Dr. Seuss, a 4 year old male castrated ferret presented on October 14, 2009 to Cornell University, Hospital for Animals Exotics Service for vomiting, anorexia and greenish mucoid feces. On presentation, he was bright, alert very active and stable. He was seen grinding his teeth on several occasions. Physical examination revealed questionable mildly thickened loops of intestines and a soft, fluctuant nonpainful abdomen. No organomegaly could be detected. A sinus arrhythmia was ausculted. He had normal lung sounds. Gastritis, gastric foreign body, gastric ulcers and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) were considered initially for differential diagnosis. Complete Blood Count (CBC) results revealed a mildly increased PCV and TP. Chemistry panel results were unremarkable. Two view abdominal radiographs were taken. These revealed a normal sized stomach with a moderate amount of material with a soft tissue opacity. The small intestines were normal in size, uniformly distended with gas and fluid. Abdominal ultrasound revealed a pyloric foreign body and bilateral renal cysts. Due to the fact that the rDVM had ausculted a murmur and as part of pre- anesthetic screen for foreign body removal a cardiology consult was scheduled. Echocardiography was within normal limits and there were no contraindications for anesthesia. Endoscopic examination of the stomach revealed a trichobezoar in the pyloric region. Since it could not be retrieved via endoscopy, a routine gastrotomy was performed. The foreign body was successfully removed and the patient recovered from the procedure with no complications. Owners reported that the patient was doing well one week post surgery.

Journal / Series

Senior seminar paper
Seminar SF610.1 2010

Date Issued

2009-11-04

Keywords

Ferrets -- Diseases -- Case studies

Types

term paper