Ultrasound-guided removal of a splenic foreign body in a dog

A 10-year-old spayed female bull terrier was brought to a veterinary referral center with abdominal pain. An abdominal ultrasound and CT scan identified a foreign body in the spleen. The object was removed via an ultrasound-guided procedure using Hartmann foreign-body forceps, avoiding the need for laparotomy. The procedure was uncomplicated. The animal was discharged after 24 h of inpatient monitoring and repeated ultrasound examinations. The dog was in good general condition 2 mo after the procedure, with no recurrence of clinical signs. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case of ultrasound-guided removal of a splenic foreign body in a dog. Key clinical message: Ultrasound-guided removal is an alternative method to remove splenic foreign bodies in dogs that is quick to perform and minimally invasive.