Septic peritonitis secondary to intra-peritoneal grass awn migration: 7 cases (2014-2021).

Objectives: To describe the clinical presentation, management, and outcome of cases treated for septic peritonitis secondary to intra-peritoneal grass awn migration. Animals: Six client-owned dogs and 1 client-owned cat. Procedures: Clinical data of dogs and cats treated surgically for septic peritonitis secondary to an intra-peritoneal grass awn identified during surgery between January 2014 and December 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Data included signalment, clinical presentation, blood test results, diagnostic imaging findings, surgical procedure, postoperative complications, and outcome. Telephone interviews were conducted for long-term follow-up. Results: Six dogs and 1 cat met the inclusion criteria. The most common reported clinical signs were lethargy (n = 7), anorexia/dysorexia (n = 4), and pyrexia (n = 4). The vegetal foreign body was not identified in any case with ultrasound (0/5) and only suspected for one case with a computed tomography scanner (1/4). A grass awn was identified within an omental abscess for each case during surgery. Abscess resection for each case resulted in partial pancreatectomy and a splenectomy for 1 case, and partial gastrectomy for another case. All cases survived to discharge. Only one minor post-operative complication was identified, and no other complication was reported at the long-term telephone interview. Conclusion and clinical significance: Septic peritonitis secondary to omental grass awn foreign body is an uncommon condition that has a good to excellent prognosis after surgical treatment. Identification of omental grass awn with ultrasound and computed tomography is rare. Therefore, particular care should be given to omental exploration during surgery for septic peritonitis with no underlying cause identified.

Péritonite septique secondaires à la migration de barbes de graminées : 7 cas (2014-2021). Objectifs: Décrire la présentation clinique, la prise en charge et pronostic des chiens et chats traité pour une péritonite septique secondaire à la migration intrapéritonéale d'un corps étranger végétal. Animaux: Six chiens et un chat traités. Protocole: Les informations des dossiers des chiens et chats pris en charge chirurgicalement pour une péritonite septique pour lesquelles un corps étranger végétal intrapéritonéal a été identifié entre janvier 2014 et décembre 2021 ont été obtenues. Les données concernant le signalement, la présentation clinique, les analyses sanguines, les examens d'imagerie, les procédures chirurgicales, les complications post-opératoires et l'évolution post-opératoire ont été collectées. Le suivi à long terme a été réalisé par téléphone. Résultats: Six chiens et un chat ont été inclus dans l'étude. Les signes cliniques les plus fréquents rapportés sont l'apathie (n = 7), l'anorexie/dysorexie (n = 4) et l'hyperthermie (n = 4). Les corps étrangers végétaux n'ont été identifiés dans aucun cas par échographie (0/5) et suspectés dans un cas à l'examen tomodensitométrique (1/4). Les corps étrangers ont tous été identifiés au sein d'un abcès dans l'omentum en chirurgie. Une résection de l'abcès a été réalisée dans chaque cas associé à une pancréatectomie partielle et une splénectomie pour un cas et une gastrectomie partielle pour un autre cas. Tous les animaux ont survécu. Seule une complication mineure a été rapportée en post-opératoire et aucune autre complication n'a été rapportée lors des entretiens téléphoniques. Conclusion et portée clinique: Les péritonites septiques secondaires à des migrations intra-péritonéale de corps étrangers végétaux sont des affections rares qui semblent être associées à un pronostic de survie bon à excellent après prise en charge chirurgicale. L'identification des corps étrangers dans l'omentum est difficile par échographie ou examen tomodensitométrique. Par conséquent, une attention particulière doit être portée à l'exploration de l'omentum lors de prise en charge chirurgicale de péritonite septique sans cause sous-jacente identifiée.(Traduit par les auteurs).

Comparison of computed tomography and surgical findings and investigation of their associations with outcomes for dogs with sublumbar abscesses.

OBJECTIVE: To describe and compare the results of preoperative CT and surgical findings in dogs with sublumbar abscesses and investigate potential associations between these variables and the outcome of abscess recurrence. ANIMALS: 51 client-owned dogs. PROCEDURES: A retrospective, records-based study was performed of dogs undergoing surgery for treatment of sublumbar abscesses diagnosed by use of CT between January 2010 and December 2018. Signalment, clinical signs, clinicopathologic data, CT findings, surgical techniques and findings, duration of hospitalization, postoperative treatment, and complications were recorded. Long-term follow-up was performed through telephone interviews. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate associations between the variables of interest and abscess recurrence. RESULTS: 51 dogs met the study inclusion criteria; 48 were included in outcome analysis. The CT findings agreed with surgical findings for identification of a migrating vegetal foreign body for 39 of 51 (77%) dogs. All dogs survived to hospital discharge; 1 dog died of hemoabdomen 3 days after surgery, and 6 had minor (surgical wound) complications reported. Abscess recurrence developed in 12 of 48 (25%) dogs with a median time to recurrence of 6 months. Identification of diskospondylitis on CT examination was the only investigated factor significantly associated with recurrence; odds of recurrence in dogs with this finding were 8.4 times those for dogs without this finding. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Our results suggested dogs with sublumbar abscesses have a good prognosis after surgery, although recurrence can develop. Preoperative identification of diskospondylitis was significantly associated with abscess recurrence in this study sample.

Treatment and outcome of spontaneous pneumothorax secondary to suspected migrating vegetal foreign body in 37 dogs.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to describe surgical findings, treatment and outcome of spontaneous pneumothorax (SP) secondary to suspected migrating vegetal foreign body (MVFB). METHODS: This retrospective study included dogs with computed tomography (CT) consistent with SP suspected to be secondary to MVFB that underwent thoracic surgery. They were divided into two groups according to whether CT identified (group 1) or only suspected (group 2) an MVFB. RESULTS: Thirty-seven dogs were included (twenty-one in group 1 and 16 in group 2). An MVFB was identified during surgery in 18 of 21 of cases of group 1 and in 10 of 16 of group 2. An agreement between lobes affected on CT and surgical findings was observed in 34 of 40 lobes. In nine of 37 of cases, a lung perforation was identified without evidence of MVFB. Thirty-nine lobectomies were performed: 15 complete and 24 partial. No recurrence of pneumothorax was observed. In four dogs, a second surgery was necessary to remove an MVFB 1.5 to 3 months after the initial surgery due to secondary draining tracts. CONCLUSION: Surgical approach planed with CT resolved SP in all cases before discharge with excellent short-term outcome and no major complication. CT was reliable to assess perforated lung lobes in 85% of cases. Clinical signs of delayed draining tract developed in 33% of cases where surgery failed to find an MVFB identified on CT.

CT is helpful for the detection and presurgical planning of lung perforation in dogs with spontaneous pneumothorax induced by grass awn migration: 22 cases.

Spontaneous pneumothorax induced by grass awns accounts for 5% of spontaneous pneumothorax and 22.5% of thoracic grass awn cases. Previous studies report limited interest of CT for spontaneous pneumothorax. Aims of this retrospective case series were to describe CT features of this condition and determine if CT features can efficiently localize the perforation site. Dogs that had a spontaneous pneumothorax, CT examination, thoracic surgery, and confirmed lung perforation due to a grass awn were included. Computed tomography studies were reviewed and compared to the surgical findings.  In 19 of 22 (86.4%) dogs, the pneumothorax or its recurrence were ipsilateral to the perforation site. The perforation site was identified in 21 of 22 (95.5%) dogs and involved the caudal lobes in 20 of 22 (90.9%) cases. The lateralization and the involved lung lobe corresponded to surgical findings in 21 of 22(95.5%) dogs. The perforation site was characterized as a soft tissue attenuating focus lying against an extensive pleural thickening in 21 of 22(95.5%) dogs. An adjacent defect in the visceral pleura was seen in 13 of 22(59.1%) dogs. A grass awn was seen in 11 of 22(50%) dogs.  The pneumothorax distribution and grass awn position consistently indicated the perforation side in this sample of dogs. The comparison with surgical findings suggests CT might be helpful for future presurgical planning of this etiology for pneumothorax.