Trauma‐associated acute mesenteric ischemia in a dog

Abstract

To describe the successful management of acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) in a dog. An 11-year-old, 21.4kg, male castrated Rough-Coated Collie was referred for evaluation of an acute abdomen following sustaining injuries in a vehicular accident. On presentation to the hospital, clinicopathologic assessments were within normal limits and distended intestinal loops were evident on abdominal palpation. Plain and contrast radiography demonstrated diffusely distended gas-filled intestinal loops with a delayed barium transit time. Emergency surgical exploration was performed. The cecum and the proximal two-thirds of the colon were dark purple to black in color and there were no palpable pulses in the mesenteric arteries associated with the cecum and colon. The cecum and proximal two-thirds of the colon were resected and an ileocolic anastomosis was performed. The dog recovered well from surgery and was discharged 2 days later. Histopathologic examination was consistent with AMI. AMI is uncommonly reported in human medicine and is a rare complication from even minor blunt abdominal trauma. This is the first reported case of trauma-associated AMI in a dog.