A Sticky Situation: Foreign Body in a Dog
Brandy, a 6-year-old spayed
female Pomeranian, presented to the emergency clinic with a 24-hour
history of vomiting. In addition to Brandy’s vomiting, the owners
reported normal but decreased bowel movements, anorexia, lethargy, and a
distended abdomen. The dog had no significant past medical history, was
current on vaccines, and was not on any medications aside from flea and
tick preventives.
Related Article: Compressed Vegetable Chew Treats: A Common Gastrointestinal Foreign Body
Physical Examination
At presentation, Brandy was alert but quiet. Her heart rate was elevated (150 bpm) with moderate femoral pulses. Her respiratory rate and effort were normal; her mucous membranes were pink but tacky with an estimated 7% dehydration; and her abdomen was tense, uncomfortable, and slightly distended.
Prompted by history and examination, abdominal radiography was performed. Radiographs showed moderate distention of the stomach with a coarse, uniformly mottled opacity with well-defined margins. There were no small intestinal abnormalities. A small mineral opaque foreign body was present in the colon.
Further questioning with the owner revealed that Brandy was unattended in the garage 24 hours prior for 10 to 15 minutes, before to the onset of signs, where the family’s Gorilla Glue (gorillatough.com) was stored.
Related Article: The Case of the Missing Toy
Gorilla Glue
With an active ingredient of diphenylmethane diisocyanate, Gorilla Glue expands rapidly when exposed to moisture, developing a large, foamy and firm consistency. The foreign body is formed (commonly in the stomach) within minutes of ingestion, resulting in a gastric foreign body. The rapid expansion of the material makes emesis not only ineffective but contraindicated, as there is risk for the material to form a more serious esophageal foreign body.
Brandy was reported to have vomiting and a distended abdomen; other common adverse effects include hematemesis, abdominal pain, anorexia, and lethargy. More serious effects include gastric ulceration and rupture.
Related Article: Compressed Vegetable Chew Treats: A Common Gastrointestinal Foreign Body
Physical Examination
At presentation, Brandy was alert but quiet. Her heart rate was elevated (150 bpm) with moderate femoral pulses. Her respiratory rate and effort were normal; her mucous membranes were pink but tacky with an estimated 7% dehydration; and her abdomen was tense, uncomfortable, and slightly distended.
Prompted by history and examination, abdominal radiography was performed. Radiographs showed moderate distention of the stomach with a coarse, uniformly mottled opacity with well-defined margins. There were no small intestinal abnormalities. A small mineral opaque foreign body was present in the colon.
Diagnosis
Gastric foreign body was suspected.Further questioning with the owner revealed that Brandy was unattended in the garage 24 hours prior for 10 to 15 minutes, before to the onset of signs, where the family’s Gorilla Glue (gorillatough.com) was stored.
Related Article: The Case of the Missing Toy
Gorilla Glue
With an active ingredient of diphenylmethane diisocyanate, Gorilla Glue expands rapidly when exposed to moisture, developing a large, foamy and firm consistency. The foreign body is formed (commonly in the stomach) within minutes of ingestion, resulting in a gastric foreign body. The rapid expansion of the material makes emesis not only ineffective but contraindicated, as there is risk for the material to form a more serious esophageal foreign body.
Brandy was reported to have vomiting and a distended abdomen; other common adverse effects include hematemesis, abdominal pain, anorexia, and lethargy. More serious effects include gastric ulceration and rupture.
