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Intestinal Blockage in Dogs: Signs & Treatment Cost

Intestinal Blockage in Dogs: Signs & Treatment Cost

a.k.a. GI Blockage, GI Foreign Body

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Updated on September 26, 2024
SUMMARY OF CONTENT
An object causing blockage to normal passage through and function of the intestines
SEVERITY:
  • Diagnosis Icon
    Requires a diagnosis by a veterinarian
  • Time to Cure
    Resolves within hours to days with appropriate medical treatment
  • Treatment Icon
    Treatable by a veterinarian
  • Prevention Icon
    Avoid objects that can be fragmented and swallowed
  • Spread Icon
    Not contagious to other pets or people
  • Lab Icon
    Physical exam, X-rays, ultrasound, endoscopy, and lab tests
VERY COMMON IN
Dogs under age 5

Symptoms & Signs

The signs of a full or partial intestinal obstruction are fairly non-specific. The condition can resemble many other problems, and for this reason the onset of vomiting, reduced or absent appetite, abdominal pain, lethargy, and diarrhea must be investigated by your veterinarian and differentiated from other diseases. The symptoms of intestinal blockage in pets usually include vomiting, however in some individuals the early signs of this problem may be limited to loss of appetite. As time passes, lethargy, vomiting, and occasionally diarrhea may occur. With prolonged obstruction of more than 2 days, most pets become exceptionally lethargic, and in some cases intestinal rupture may occur, resulting in exceptional abdominal pain and risk of death due to septicemia.

Diagnosis

While a veterinarian may suspect an intestinal blockage based on the history provided by the owner, other information, including physical exam findings, x-rays, and ultrasound results must be correlated and evaluated together in order to make the diagnosis of a suspected intestinal blockage. X-rays of the abdomen often show a dilated segment of bowel, suggesting blockage. Veterinarians are trained to recognize this dilation, and this is critical, since many objects - soft fabric or rubber toys, tumors, thin plastic - may not be discernable from normal anatomy on x-rays. Blood work and urinalysis results are usually non-specific and typically show only dehydration secondary to lack or drinking or fluid loss through vomiting and/or diarrhea in cases of a foreign body obstruction. Examination of the abdomen with ultrasound may provide more information, but many times the diagnosis is elusive. Sometimes the veterinarian must act and provide appropriate treatment based on suspicion, or the patient will rapidly deteriorate.

Causation

Intestinal blockages in pets are often caused by ingestion of objects, such as toys, bones, and rocks. Intestinal growths (tumors), hernias, bloat, and some infections can also partially or fully obstruct the normal transit of food through the intestines.

Treatments

icon AT-HOME CARE
Ultimate resolution of intestinal blockage should never be provided in a home environment, without the help of a veterinarian. It can become dangerous to use medications that mask the symptoms associated with intestinal blockage, such as anti-vomiting drugs, since these will control symptoms yet prolong diagnosis. Prompt veterinarian care as soon as symptoms are noticed is crucial in reducing the risk of complications.
icon SUPPORTIVE CARE
Oftentimes intestinal blockages result in repeated episodes of vomiting, and profound nausea. It is critical to control these episodes, since they not only make the pet feel bad but also result in fluid loss so profound as to cause important electrolytes like sodium and potassium to become unbalanced. Your veterinarian may recommend intravenous fluids for your dog to aid in hydration.
icon MEDICATIONS
Some objects may temporarily and/or partially block the intestines, yet eventually move through. In some cases, hospitalization with intravenous fluids can improve peristalsis and by doing so, may the object to move out of the small intestines and into the colon. Once there, uneventful passage out of the body is a possibility, but this should be confirmed by your veterinarian with follow-up x-rays for comparison to original x-rays. Medications that are designed to improve GI motility should never be used in cases of confirmed or suspected intestinal blockage unless prescribed by the veterinarian who is treating your dog, because they can significantly worsen the situation. While many medications are often administered for ‘off-label’ or 'extra-label' use in veterinary medicine, it is important to know that off- or extra- label use of a medication can only be done by a veterinarian when there are no other more appropriate medications for a particular pet's circumstances. Your veterinarian must also know all vitamins, supplements, medications etc. your pet is taking to help avoid complications. You must also be sure to follow all instructions provided by your vet carefully and consult your veterinarian with any questions or concerns if they arise.
icon MEDICAL PROCEDURES
Many veterinarians and veterinary specialists are trained in the use of a tool called an endoscope. Endoscopes combine a very small camera with a very bright light source on the end of a flexible tube. The tube is inserted into the esophagus of an anesthetized patient, and can be advanced through the stomach and into the proximal part of the small intestine to visualize foreign objects or other abnormalities causing blockages. Grabbing tools can be advanced through the tube and in the case of small objects, possibly used to retrieve the objects. Most endoscopes are not long enough to extend past the initial part of the small intestine, so objects that are farther along cannot typically be retrieved.
icon DEVICES
Endoscope
icon SURGERY
Most intestinal obstructions need to be removed surgically. If the obstruction has only been present for a short period of time, a simple enterotomy (surgical incision into the intestine) may be used to remove it. The longer an obstruction is present, the more likely that the intestinal blood supply is compromised and the intestines immediately above and below the obstruction are devitalized. In these cases a procedure called a resection and anastomosis must be performed, the entire section of devitalized bowel removed, and the ends rejoined. This is true as well with tumors that are growing from the walls of the intestines and obstructing the inside. There are potential complications associated with both procedures, however resection and anastomoses have a higher percentage of them as this is a more invasive procedure and there are elevated risks when compromised tissue is involved.
icon SPECIALISTS
Most veterinarians are comfortable performing surgery to remove intestinal foreign bodies. If the blockage has been present for several days, or if a tumor is suspected, removal may prove to be more complicated, and the patient may benefit from the care of a veterinary surgeon or veterinary oncologist.

Cost Of Treatment

Cost associated with veterinary treatment can vary substantially for a variety of reasons, however, the average cost to treat intestinal obstruction is around $3,000, with prices typically ranging between $800 and $7,000.

Recovery

Hospitalization for 2- 4 days after surgery is routine. Exact time to recover from surgery depends on several factors, including the condition of the patient prior to surgery and how removal was accomplished. Patients that undergo endoscopy for foreign body removal typically recover quickly. Surgical patients may need several days of careful feeding in order not to stress recovering intestinal surgical sites. Vomiting and gastric acid production should be controlled during recovery with appropriate medications as recommended by your veterinarian. If surgery was needed, exercise restriction and a surgical cone will likely be recommended until sutures are removed to prevent your dog from further stressing the surgical site.

Monitoring

The patient should be rechecked at 10 – 14 days past treatment as recommended by your veterinarian, or sooner if any additional concerns are noticed. In the cases of surgical resolution, stitches may be removed or dissolvable. If the blockage was due to a tumor, follow-on treatment will likely be necessary to address any metastatic disease.

Prevention

In order to reduce the risk of intestinal blockage, keep your dog or cat from chewing on objects that can become fragmented and swallowed, such as tennis balls, bones, plastic toys, or stuffed toys with squeaking devices inside. Dogs should always be monitored with chews and toys, and any bedding, chews or toys that start to show signs of wear should be discarded. Strings are especially attractive to cats, and items like dental floss, sewing thread, and ribbon should be kept in secured locations and effectively disposed of. Young pets should be taught to play with appropriate toys and should never be encouraged to chew on less appropriate items.

Questions about Intestinal Blockage

My dog I heated uses tampon is it an emergency

Unfortunately I'm having a little trouble understand your question as I'm not sure what you mean by "My dog I heated uses tampons..." I'm wondering if Bella ate a tampon or if you wanted to use one on her while she is in heat. I will answer both to be safe. If she ate a tampon, then yes this is a medical emergency and she has to see a vet now. Tampons can easily cause obstructions in the GI tract, especially since they are absorbent and can get large in the stomach from liquid in there. if Bella ate a tampon, you need to take her into a vet immediately to get it removed. If she is on heat, no you cannot use a tampon to control her bleeding. It's not safe to use at all, and are not meant for dogs. You can put a diaper on her to catch any bloody discharge. There are dog specific diapers online and at pets stores, or you can use one made of a human child. Just cut a hole in it for her tail. Hopefully this answers your question. If it doesn't, I'm sorry and ask you post again in the forum for free to it can get answered!

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My puppy had parvo virus. If I bring a fully vaccinated dog here, can it infect the new dog? Is there still a risk?

If they new dog is a year old and you are completely sure that that it is 100 percent vaccinated there is a very minimal risk that it will be infected. However, that being said, vaccines are never 100 percent effective so there is always a 0.09 percent chance that the new dog could get the virus. But you should be safe bringing the new dog home. I would make sure that the home environment has been cleaned as thoroughly as possible (this means with bleach to all surfaces) and make sure that the outdoor surfaces have been cleaned as well. Parvo can live in the environment for an annoyingly long time (up to 6 months) so it wouldn't hurt to apply a safe mixture of bleach product to your yard as well. This is probably going completely overboard, but you know how scary parvo can be!

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I have a cat that as a kitten was very ill. We got him from 7 months old. We knew he’d had cat flu prior to him coming here. He is now nearly 5 yrs old. He picks huge fights with our other cat. He keeps urinating and scratching at doors and windows around the house. We allow him to go out via the cat flap unlimited. What is happening to him

I'm glad to see that Pippin has been neutered because this eliminates that possibility of hormone-fueled behavioral changes and aggression. Behavioral changes in cats can occur at any point in time, and could be related to anxiety or stressful situations (even rearranging furniture or introducing new people to the home can be stressful to cats). Without a lot more information and observing Pippin's behaviors, I can't precisely tell you why these changes are occurring. It may be best to consult a veterinary behaviorist in your home so that they can observe everything firsthand. You can also try using calming pheromone collars or diffusers (Feliway is one example), and discussing the use of anxiety medication with Pippin's vet. I hope that all goes well!

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Hi! My cat was recently diagnosed with diabetes. He’s taking insulin and taking antibiotics for a Uti. It’s been 4 weeks and he wobles when he’s walking. He can’t jump up on the bed like he used to.He’s blood sugar is 250 it’s better than it used to. I don’t understand why he’s so wobbly.

Cats can develop what's called diabetic neuropathy, where their hindlegs become progressively weak. The best thing to do is try to get his diabetes under control as quickly as possible. Here is a link describing the conditon: http://www.diabeticcatcare.com/DCCCOK/Neuropathy.htm

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Can I reapply flea treatment early? It’s been 2 weeks with no results.

A [flea](https://www.petcoach.co/article/fleas-life-cycle-anatomy-disease-transmission) infestation on your pet or in your home can be [difficult and frustrating](https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-are-fleas-so-hard-to-kill) to deal with. Yes, if after two weeks the [flea preventive you applied isn't working](https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-reasons-your-flea-prevention-isnt-working), you can reapply flea treatment early, or switch to another brand. I recommend using Advantix or a chewable prescription product from your vet, like Bravecto, Nexgard, Simparica, or Credelio. This recommendation is unrelated to Petco or PetCoach. If you are seeing fleas on Mia now, you can give her Capstar ([Nitenpyram](https://www.petcoach.co/pet-medication/nitenpyram)). It's a one time pill that starts killing adult fleas in 30 minutes and is safe to use with a topical treatment. Use a monthly preventive on all pets for at least 3 consecutive months to break the flea life cycle. Year round use is preferred. You will also have to [treat the environment](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-tips-to-get-rid-of-fleas). Wash all bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. Discard of the bag or empty the canister outdoors immediately afterwards. Use a spray, such as Indoorex or Knockout ES, in the house and to prevent reinfestation.

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My senior cat has metastized cancer.17 yrs old. My vet gave her predizone1 and one half tabs a day.i wanted to know if i can just stop the meds.

Is there a reason you want to stop the prednisone? I would recommend not stopping it and if you feel it is better to stop the prednisone then I would recommend weaning off of the prednisone. I would discuss how to wean the prednisone with your veterinarian. Thank you for using Boop by Petco.

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Disclaimer

The information contained on this page is for educational purposes only. This medication should only be given under the advice of a veterinarian who has examined your pet under the laws applicable to your state of residence.