Intussusception
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Publication Date: 2007-03-04
History
6 month old male neutered Cairn Terrier with 3 days of vomiting and diarrhea, and progressive lethargy.
Findings
There are markedly dilated bowel loops in the caudal portion of the abdomen. More normal sized loops are gas-filled in the cranial abdomen. The peritoneal detail is poor, likely because of his young age.
DDx
Mechanical obstruction - foreign body, intussusception.
Diagnosis
Jejunal-jejunal intussusception.
Discussion
Intussusceptions are common in young dogs secondary to intestinal hypermotility. The bowel "telescopes" on itself causing a mechanical obstruction, or partial obstruction. Most intussusceptions involve the ileum and colon. It is more rare to see a jejunal intussusception. The radiographic findings fit with the diagnosis. A more proximal obstruction results in focal bowel dilation such as in this case. Distal obstruction, such as in a usual intussusception, often causes dilation of the entire proximal or oral small intestine.
3 images
Additional Images
Ultrasonography diagnosed the intussusception. You can see the "bowel within bowel", or concentric rings of intestine in both the longitudinal and the cross-sectional image. There is often mesenteric fat pulled into the intussusception, which appears hyperechoic on the transverse image.