What Is an Intestinal Blockage in Dogs?
An intestinal blockage, also known as obstruction, refers to a situation where the intestines of a dog are partially or fully obstructed, impeding the passage of solid foods or liquids. Consequently, this obstruction can hinder the absorption of water and essential nutrients, leading to rapid dehydration and electrolyte imbalances in the dog’s body. Moreover, the blockage poses the risk of damaging the intestines by exerting pressure on the intestinal wall, potentially resulting in tissue necrosis or even bowel rupture.
Symptoms
- Vomiting: Persistent vomiting can lead to severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.
- Loss of appetite (anorexia): Dogs may display disinterest in eating. Young dogs with a foreign body obstruction may initially attempt to eat but then vomit.
- Abdominal pain: The obstruction can exert pressure on the intestines, causing significant discomfort and potential complications such as intestinal rupture or peritonitis (abdominal inflammation).
- Weakness/lethargy: Dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and pain can contribute to weakness and lethargy in affected dogs.
- Diarrhea/difficulty defecating/Straining to defecate: Partial blockages may result in diarrhea as liquid bypasses the obstruction, while complete blockages can lead to unsuccessful attempts to defecate.
- Weight loss: A noticeable decrease in body weight may occur over time.
If a dog is vomiting without producing stool, it strongly indicates the presence of an intestinal blockage.
Causes
Intestinal blockages in dogs are commonly triggered by the ingestion of foreign bodies—objects consumed by the dog that lead to an obstruction. Typical culprits include bones, balls, toys, rocks, corncobs, cloth (such as underwear or socks), fruit pits, tampons, and linear objects (like string, yarn, thread, ribbon, or pantyhose).
However, blockages can also stem from intestinal tumors or masses, particularly in older dogs, which involve abnormal new tissue growth. Additional potential causes encompass:
- Strictures: Narrowing of the intestines, often resulting from scar tissue.
- Adhesions: Bands of scar tissue formed after previous surgeries.
- Intussusception: Telescoping of the intestines, where one portion slides into an adjacent segment.
- Severe intestinal parasite infestation.
- Hernias.
- Torsion: Twisting of the intestines.
- Severe inflammation of the small intestines.
Diagnosis
When suspecting or observing signs of a potential intestinal blockage in your dog, prompt veterinary attention is crucial. If there’s suspicion that your dog has ingested a foreign object, immediate veterinary care is necessary.
In some instances, inducing vomiting can expel the foreign object before it leads to an intestinal blockage. This should ideally occur within 30 minutes to 2 hours after ingestion. However, if symptoms of an intestinal blockage manifest, inducing vomiting may not be effective.
Your veterinarian will commence with a thorough physical examination, palpating the abdomen to detect pain, masses, or signs of foreign objects or intussusception. While palpation may reveal the obstruction, an abdominal x-ray is usually performed for further assessment.
If the x-ray results are inconclusive or if more information is required before recommending surgery, an abdominal ultrasound may be conducted. This diagnostic tool is beneficial for visualizing foreign bodies and providing insights into suspected tumors or intussusception. Additionally, bloodwork will likely be advised to eliminate other potential causes of the symptoms and assess your dog’s hydration status and electrolyte levels.
Treatment
Treatment for intestinal blockage in dogs varies based on factors like the dog’s size, overall health condition, and the size of the foreign body. In some cases, dogs may naturally pass the object through their stool. However, if the object becomes lodged and causes an intestinal blockage, surgical intervention becomes necessary to identify and remove the obstruction.
Before surgery, your veterinarian may opt to hospitalize your dog to administer IV fluids for rehydration and medication to alleviate nausea and pain.
Once your dog’s condition is stabilized, surgery is performed under anesthesia to locate and address the blockage. If a foreign object is responsible for the obstruction, the veterinarian may perform an enterotomy, making an incision into the intestines to extract the object and subsequently suturing the intestines closed.
However, if the intestines exhibit damage or necrotic tissue, sections of the intestines may require removal along with the underlying cause of the obstruction, such as a foreign body or tumor. This procedure, known as resection and anastomosis, involves removing the affected portions of the intestines and reconnecting the healthy segments.
Living and Management
Ensuring early detection and treatment of intestinal blockage is crucial to achieve a positive outcome and prevent potential complications, such as intestinal damage, rupture, leakage, or peritonitis. If surgical intervention is necessary, it should be promptly performed.
Following surgery, most dogs will require hospitalization for 1-2 days with intravenous fluids and pain relief medications. Once they resume eating and cease vomiting, they can typically be discharged home. The recovery period is akin to that of any abdominal surgery, necessitating 10-14 days of rest and limited activity.
While most dogs fully recover and resume their normal routines, outcomes may vary depending on the cause of the intestinal blockage. In cases where a foreign object caused the obstruction, it’s imperative to prevent future ingestion of foreign objects, particularly as complications are more probable in the presence of scar tissue from prior surgeries. If a tumor was responsible for the blockage, the veterinarian will send a tissue sample to the laboratory for identification and prognosis assessment.
Intestinal Blockage in Dogs FAQs
Can a dog pass an intestinal blockage?
Sometimes, if the blockage stems from a foreign body, the dog may expel it through the gastrointestinal tract and into the stool. Your veterinarian might suggest fluid therapy, either intravenously or subcutaneously, to address dehydration and facilitate the passage of the object. Additionally, x-rays may be utilized to monitor the object’s progress as it traverses through the digestive system.
How long can a dog live with an intestinal blockage?
Without treatment, a dog with a complete obstruction would likely perish within 3-4 days. Hence, if a dog is diagnosed with an intestinal blockage, surgery is strongly recommended as soon as possible.
What can I do if my dog has an intestinal blockage?
If you suspect your dog has an intestinal blockage, promptly take them to a veterinarian for examination. The vet will assess the situation and advise whether surgery is necessary and the subsequent steps to take.