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Imaging–pathology correlation
4 photos from surgery, necropsy or pathology. Some are graphic.
Canine (Alaskan Malamute) · Radiograph — Abdomen
- Species
- Canine
- Breed
- Alaskan Malamute
- Age
- 7.5 years
- Sex
- Male neutered
- Weight
- 35 kg
- Level
- Veterinarian
Presenting complaint and brief history
Acute onset (<12h) abnormal gait (walking hunched), lethargy, and inappetence. Has a history of exploratory laparotomy to remove a foreign body (unknown from where, suspect ileum based on previous AUS report) several months prior, with gastropexy performed at the same time.
Diagnosis
Hides the diagnosis, imaging findings, outcome, take-home points and correlation photos so you can read the images blind.
Small intestinal foreign bodies (pebbles) causing a mechanical obstruction with additional nonobstructive gastric foreign material (more pebbles)
Confirmed
Imaging findings
- Numerous mineral opacities in the region of the pylorus
- Numerous mineral opacities in the small intestine, especially aggregated in one area (difficult to differentiate between SI and colon)
- Two populations of small intestine seen
What happened with the patient
Patient went to surgery on the same day as presentation. There was a large area of pseudoadhesion around the area of the ICJ with marked steatitis. The intestines were firm and numerous small stones were removed via ileotomy. A gastrotomy was also performed to remove the gastric foreign material. When the ileotomy site was re-checked, the intestines had overall separated, with only a few small true adhesions still present.
Contributed by
- Siobhan Semadeni
DVM · WAVES
4 cases
Educational use only — not clinical advice.
Cite this case
Semadeni S. Small intestinal foreign bodies (pebbles) causing a mechanical obstruction with additional nonobstructive gastric foreign material (more pebbles). Radabase case 198ba612. Retrieved 2026-10-29 from https://www.radabase.vet/case/198ba612-711f-419e-b641-9e0efe2bc75b
Also searched as: intestinal foreign body, small bowel obstruction, foreign body ileus, intestinal blockage, bowel blockage, obstructing pebbles, intestinal stones, ingested rocks, swallowed pebbles, gastric foreign body, stomach foreign material, nonobstructing gastric pebbles, GI foreign body
Discussion
Questions and observations from colleagues. Never post identifying patient or owner information.
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