Thoracic and abdominal wall swellings in dogs caused by foreign bodies

Abstract

Twenty‐seven hunting dogs with local swellings on the thoracic and, or, abdominal wall, were treated mainly by radical surgery supported by chemotherapy. The lesions were characterised histopathologically as pyogranulomatous inflammation. One of the dogs died during surgery because of a technical accident. Four of the dogs underwent further surgery because of relapse. Treatment was successful in 26 cases, with a mean observation period of 3.3 years (range, 0.6 to 6.5 years) without signs of disease. In 12 of the 26 dogs which underwent surgery, parts of grasses (Poaceae family), usually the floret, were found in the lesions. Predominantly anaerobic bacteria (including actinomyces) common to the oropharyngeal tract were isolated from lesions. It is proposed that the plant material is inhaled during open‐mouth breathing and, after migration through the lungs to the peripheral attachment of the diaphragm, causes productive inflammation by synergism with endogenous microorganisms of mucous membrane origin.

Ultrasonographic Features of Grass Awn Migration in the Dog

“…This may be because of the fact that this area frequently contacts grass awns when dogs run in the fields. In this study, three dogs with caudal thoracic wall involvement and pleural and lung disease suggest inhalation of a grass awn with migration through the lungs and pleura 1,7–9 . Pneumothorax has been described as a sequel to grass awn migration in the lung 3 .…”

Epidemiological investigation of grass seed foreign body‐related disease in dogs of the Riverina District of rural Australia

“…Veterinary practitioners should consider grass seed as a component of this potential aetiology when there are consistent historical, clinical and radiographic signs, as the presence of plant material in addition to bacteria may affect diagnostic and treatment plans. Frendin et al reported numerous cases of canine discospondylitis caused by microorganisms comprising part of the oral cavity microbiome . Prodromal respiratory signs were also observed in three of the cases, indicating that the aetiology was most likely related to an inhaled migrating FB translocating normal oral bacterial flora through a ‘Trojan horse’ mechanism.…”

“…Frendin et al reported numerous cases of canine discospondylitis caused by microorganisms comprising part of the oral cavity microbiome. 27,28 Prodromal respiratory signs were also observed in three of the cases, indicating that the aetiology was most likely related to an inhaled migrating FB translocating normal oral bacterial flora through a 'Trojan horse' mechanism.…”

Use of preoperative computed tomography for surgical treatment of recurrent draining tracts

“…Conventional radiography is of little help because it does not detect radiolucent FB (Penninck & Mitchell ), such as FB of plant origin which are the most common FB found (Brennan & Ihrke , Frendin et al . , Frendin et al . ) as observed in this study.…”

“…Indeed, FB may be barely visible and difficult to localise during surgical exploration, thus necessitating several surgeries for retrieval (Kirpensteijn & Fingland , Frendin et al . , Frendin et al . ).…”