Gastrointestinal foreign bodies in pet pigs: 17 cases

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Animal Surgery
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Pet pigs exhibit indiscriminate eating habits, increasing their susceptibility to foreign body (FB) ingestion.
• Gastrointestinal (GI) obstructions are a significant risk in pet pigs due to their dietary behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail the clinical presentation, diagnostic methods, therapeutic interventions, and outcomes for pet pigs with gastrointestinal foreign bodies (GI FBs).
• To evaluate the efficacy of medical and surgical treatments and analyze post-mortem findings in pigs affected by GI FBs.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter retrospective study involving seventeen pet pigs diagnosed with GI FBs.
• GI FBs were defined as ingested objects lodged in the GI tract distal to the cardia, identified during exploratory laparotomy.

Main Results:

• Common clinical signs included anorexia, tachypnea, vomiting, dehydration, tachycardia, and ileus.
• Diagnostic imaging detected FBs in only 4 cases; surgery revealed FBs in the stomach, small intestine, and large colon.
• Fifteen out of seventeen pigs (88%) survived and were discharged after treatment, while 2 (12%) were euthanized.

Conclusions:

• Clinical signs of GI FB obstruction in pigs resemble those of obstipated pigs.
• Diagnostic imaging modalities have limitations in detecting GI FBs in pigs.
• Surgical intervention for FB removal in pet pigs is associated with a favorable prognosis.