Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Torsion and volvulus of the transverse and descending colon in a German shepherd dog.
- Journal:
- The Journal of small animal practice
- Year:
- 2006
- Authors:
- Halfacree, Z J et al.
- Affiliation:
- Queen Mother Hospital for Animals
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A German shepherd dog was brought to the vet two months after having surgery for a serious stomach condition called gastric dilatation volvulus, where the stomach twists and fills with gas. This dog had also been diagnosed with a condition that affects its ability to digest food properly. X-rays showed that one part of the intestine was very swollen with gas. During surgery, the vets found that the descending and transverse parts of the colon had twisted around each other, causing them to die off. They removed the damaged sections and connected the healthy parts, and while the dog seemed to be recovering well at first, it had to be put to sleep three days later due to a serious complication called intestinal intussusception, where one part of the intestine slides into another.
Abstract
A German shepherd dog was presented two months after surgery for correction of acute gastric dilatation volvulus. The dog had been diagnosed with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Radiographs revealed marked gaseous distension of one loop of intestine with a generalised increase in intestinal gas content. A 360 degrees anticlockwise rotation of the descending and transverse colon, around the longitudinal axis of the mesocolon, was diagnosed at exploratory coeliotomy. The transverse and descending colon appeared uniformly necrotic and an end-to-end colo-colic resection and anastomosis was performed. The dog initially made satisfactory postoperative progress but was euthanased on the third postoperative day after it developed an intestinal intussusception.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16911117/