Septic peritonitis secondary to a perforating gastric foreign body in an Irish Sport Horse gelding

Abstract

SummaryA 17‐year‐old Irish Sport Horse gelding was referred to the University College Dublin Veterinary Hospital for low‐grade colic that had been nonresponsive to medical treatment. Diagnostic investigation revealed a marked septic peritonitis. The inciting cause was detected by gastroscopy to be a perforating foreign body in the pylorus of the stomach from a briar of a blackthorn plant (Prunus spinosa spp.). Successful removal of the foreign body was achieved surgically via gastrotomy. The horse subsequently developed a multi‐drug resistant abdominal incision site infection, which was successfully managed over a 2‐month period. Abdominal incisional herniation occurred thereafter. Six months post‐operatively, the horse was back in light work and no further adverse sequelae had been noted.