ABSTRACT
Partial or complete bowel obstruction is a common indicator for intestinal surgery in small animals. Most frequently, single or multiple foreign bodies cause the obstruction. Partial or complete bowel obstruction is a common indicator for intestinal surgery in small animals. Most frequently, single or multiple foreign bodies cause the obstruction. Intussusception and neoplastic conditions can also occur. A partial or complete small intestine obstruction may be in a “high” (duodenum, proximal jejunum) or “low” (distal jejunum, ileum) location. Signs of obstruction are variable and include vomiting, depression, anorexia, and dehydration. Weight loss and bloody diarrhea or obstipation (colonic obstruction) are also clinical findings. Abdominal palpation can reveal pain/discomfort and abnormal intestinal contents, bowel loops, or bowel masses. Surgical relief of the obstruction, including intestinal resection and anastomosis, is required for most patients. Unattached linear and small objects may pass uneventfully through the gastrointestinal tract.
