Gastroesophageal intussusception in a 4-week-old German shepherd puppy

The surgical treatment of a gastroesophageal intussusception (GEI) in a 4-week-old male intact German shepherd puppy is described in this report. Bilateral gastropexies were performed; an incisional gastropexy on the right and a gastrostomy tube gastropexy on the left. The dog recovered well and is thriving long-term with no clinical signs of persistent megaesophagus. With the combination of early detection and surgical correction of GEI, mortality rates may be lower than the 95% mortality rate that has been reported in previous literature and supports new studies that have reported a 65% survival rate long-term. Key clinical message: Young animals presenting with vague clinical signs require thorough evaluation to identify uncommon, yet life-threatening diseases such as GEI. Early detection and interventions can subsequently lead to successful outcomes.