The
Vet
Phone 01254 53622
The VETerinary Health Centre,
Daisy St.
Blackburn,
Lancashire, BB1 5EW
serving Blackburn, Darwen, Accrington, Rishton, Great Harwood,
Clayton-le-Moors, Oswaldtwistle, Langho, Whalley and Clitheroe
USA:
U.S. Dermatologist Lowell Ackerman has discovered
and used pictures from this website in his new book on Veterinary Dermatology
book
Australia Parts of our website are now being used for teaching vet nurses on
Gilles Plains Campus
JAPAN:
Our Firework Phobia leaflet is now in use in
Japan!! (Download
Japanese version)
<back> to recent cases Intestinal Obstruction with
a Hair Bobble
Blockage of the intestines is a common surgical emergency. The early signs
can look just like gastroeneteritis but delay in treatment can be fatal. An
observant owner will certainly know their pet has a problem and if they get to
the vet soon enough the outlook is generally very good.
Taco is a 1 year old male chihuahua with a lovely nature. In May 2003 he was
brought to us looking miserable and vomiting. We discovered a lump in his
abdomen that felt like an intestinal obstruction. Taco was admitted,
anesthetised and a laparotomy was performed. We found a soft mass 7cm x 2cm diam.
lodged in the mid small intestine. This was removed by enterotomy and found to
be a hair bobble. The surgery went well and Taco made a good recovery. Within
just a few days he was back to normal. Two or three days delay could have been
fatal.
Taco under general anaesthetic with Pulse Oximeter on tongue
measuring blood oxygen and pulse rate.
Removal of the hair bobble from the small intestine. The dark red (congested)
area of intestine is damaged but recoverable so no bowel had to be removed.
Delay in diagnosis or surgery would have resulted in bowel perforation and
peritonitis.
Routine closure of the abdominal wall
The hair bobble that caused the obstruction
Taco recovering on a warm bed in a sleeping bag made out of bubble wrap