Use of ultrasonography for definitive diagnosis of gastrointestinal foreign bodies in dogs

Eighteen dogs presented with gastrointestinal foreign bodies were evaluated to establish the reliability of ultrasonography for definitive diagnosis of gastrointestinal foreign bodies in dogs. Both radiography and ultrasonography were performed in all the animals and the results were compared with intraoperative findings. Radiographically, foreign body was detected in two dogs only and distended bowel segments were evident in 8 animals having linear foreign body. Ultrasonographically, foreign body was detected in 17 animals. Out of the 18 cases, 7 were of non-linear discrete foreign bodies detected in small intestines (n=6) and stomach (n=1), and eleven dogs had linear foreign body associated with intussusception. The linear foreign bodies were characterised by hyperechoic structure within the intussusception with distal acoustic shadowing, three of which had origin in stomach detected ultrasonographically. Increased peritoneal fluid (n=5) was detected more accurately with ultrasonography than radiography. On radiography, misinterpretation of peritoneal effusions as evidenced by loss of serosal detail was more frequent. The findings in the present study suggest that ultrasonography could be used as single diagnostic tool for definitive diagnosis of mechanical obstruction in dogs.