Multiple inflammatory gastric polyps treated by endoscopic polypectomy with argon plasma coagulation in a dog

An 11-year-old spayed female miniature dachshund was evaluated for a 2-month history of chronic vomiting. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed a heterogeneous mass in the pyloric region. Contrast upper gastrointestinal radiography demonstrated impairment of gastric outflow. Endoscopic examination revealed multiple polyps at the gastric pylorus. The pyloric polyps were variable in size, sessile-shaped and pedunculated. Initially, endoscopic polypectomy was attempted, but all the polyps could not be completely resected. Thus, endoscopic polypectomy with argon plasma coagulation was performed to cauterise the lesions. The histopathological diagnosis of the lesions was inflammatory polyps, and a moderate number of Helicobacter spp. was revealed. After the argon plasma coagulation treatment, the dog did not vomit, and improvement of clinical signs was maintained for 13 months. Endoscopic polypectomy with argon plasma coagulation may be useful for mixtures of sessile and pedunculated polyps. The present report may provide a basis for further studies of argon plasma coagulation treatment for canine gastrointestinal polyps.