Grass awn in the urinary bladder of a 5-months old mixed-breed dog – a case report

Abstract

Grass awn foreign body-related disease is common in dogs throughout Poland, typically affecting the ears and subcutaneous tissue, but the presence of grass awns in the urinary bladder is a rare pathology in veterinary medicine. The diagnosis of foreign bodies in the urinary tract is challenging because their signs overlap with those of urinary tract infections. Hence, patients with grass awns in the urethra or urinary bladder can easily be misdiagnosed and mistreated. It is worth considering the potential presence of a plant foreign body in the urinary tract in the case of sudden hematuria and abdominal discomfort, especially in the spring and summer. Quick diagnosis and surgery treatment are essential to protect the patient from severe complications. The purpose of this report is to present the diagnosis and treatment of a dog with hematuria and abdominal discomfort which was diagnosed with a foreign body (a grass awn) in the urinary bladder.