Intussuscepção gastroesofágica em canino / Gastroesophageal intussusception in canine

ABSTRACT

Background: Gastroesophageal intussusception is characterized by the invagination of the stomach into the esophagus,with or without the involvementof adjacent organs such as the spleen, pancreas, and omentum. In dogs, this condition hasno breed or sex predisposition. As it is an infrequent disease in routine veterinary medical practice, this study reports acase of gastroesophageal intussusception in a dog necropsied at the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal Rural Universityof Pernambuco (HOVET - UFRPE), Recife, Brazil.Case The body of a 12-year-old black mixed breed male dog was sent to the Pathology Department (Necropsy Sectorof the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco - UFRPE) for a necropsy. The animal had a previous 4-year history ofrecurrent emesis and limb weakness, primarily in the anterior limbs, that worsened in the previous months and progressedto death. No previous treatments were reported by the owner. On external examination, the animal had a low body score(cachectic), forelimb joints with great flexibility, congested oral and ocular mucous membranes, enophthalmos, and increased volume in the perianal region. At the opening of the thoracic cavity, the final third of the esophagus was dilatedand gastroesophageal intussusception, edema, and pulmonary congestion were noted. In the abdominal cavity, there washepatic and renal congestion and large intestine and rectal ampoule dilation, with a large amount of solid and retainedfeces (fecaloma), perianal hernia, and testicular neoformation. These findings were consistent with those observed in deathcaused by cardiorespiratory failure secondary to gastroesophageal intussusception.Discussion: The pathophysiology of gastroesophageal intussusception is still not elucidated and is probably multifactorial.This condition causes reverse gastric peristalsis associated with a sudden and sustained increase in abdominal...