Magnet ingestion in dogs: two cases

Two dogs that had ingested foreign bodies were presented with vomiting. The foreign bodies appeared as metal and dense on abdominal radiographs. Abdominal exploratory identified intestinal perforation in one case and gastrointestinal tissue trapped between the two foreign bodies adhered to each other in the second case. The foreign bodies were identified as magnets in one case and magnets and other metallic foreign bodies in the second case. Both dogs had excellent outcomes following surgical intervention. These cases demonstrate the danger of tissue entrapment between the foreign bodies as a result of the magnetic attraction between two objects. Dogs that are presented with a history of or are suspect for ingesting multiple magnets or a magnet and metal foreign bodies should be treated with surgical intervention because of the risk of gastrointestinal perforation as a result of magnetic attraction between the foreign bodies.