Veterinary Research Communications, 27 Suppl. 1 (2003) 783–786
© 2003 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands
Intermittent Gastroesophageal Intussusception in a Dog: Clinical
Features, Radiographic and Endoscopic Findings, and Surgical
Management
M. Pietra1*, F. Gentilini1, S. Pinna2, F. Fracassi1, A. Venturini2 and M. Cipone1
Department of Veterinary Clinical Science (1 Section of Internal Medicine; 2 Section of
Surgery), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bologna, 40064 Ozzano
dell’Emilia (BO), Italy
*Correspondence: Dipartimento Clinico Veterinario, Universita ` degli Studi di Bologna,
Via Tolara di Sopra 50, 40064, Ozzano dell’Emilia (BO), Italy
E-mail: mpietra@vet.unibo.it
Keywords: dog, endoscopy, intussusception, oesophagus, stomach
INTRODUCTION
Gastro-oesophageal intussusception is a rare disease characterized by the intussus-
ception of stomach, or occasionally of other abdominal structures (spleen, pancreas,
proximal duodenum, omentum) into the oesophageal thoracic tract (Rowland and
Robinson, 1978 ). Its clinical appearance is usually characterized by acute vomiting or
regurgitation, haematemesis, abdominal pain and dyspnoea (Leib and Blass, 1984).
Less frequently, a chronic case characterized by an intermittent gastro-oesophageal
intussusception has been described. The aim of this report is to describe the clinical,
radiographic and endoscopic appearance of a chronic and intermittent gastro-
oesophageal intussusception in a dog.
CLINICAL CASE
A 4-year-old male Pug dog was brought to the Department of Veterinary Clinical
Sciences of Bologna because of long term recurrent vomiting and regurgitation. The
frequency of clinical signs, initially rare, had increased over a period of months
without appetite modification. As reported by Boari and colleagues (1999), the same
dog had already presented, 2 years before, a sliding type hiatal hernia not associated
with megaoesophagus. The disease had been properly treated without clinical recur-
rence up to 6 months after surgery. On clinical examination, the dog showed a good
body condition score without dyspnoea or abdominal pain. Survey and contrast
radiography of the thorax was performed in order to detect a possible recurrence of
the hiatal hernia. Survey radiography revealed a distension of the oesophageal caudal
portion due to a dense soft-tissue mass and a cranial shift of gastric shadow
783