Beet pulp intake and hairball faecal excretion in mixed-breed shorthaired cats.

Hairball formation may induce vomiting and intestinal obstruction in predisposed cats. Some insoluble fibres as sugarcane fibre and cellulose can prevent hairball formation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of beet pulp consumption, a moderate soluble and fermentable fibre source, on faecal trichobezoars excretion in adult shorthaired cats fed kibble diets. Eighteen mixed-breed shorthaired cats and three extruded diets were used as follows: a basal diet without added fibre source (PB0-8.8% dietary fibre); BP8-8% inclusion of beet pulp (17.5% of dietary fibre); BP16-16% inclusion of beet pulp (23.8% of dietary fibre). The cats were fed during 31 days and faeces quantitatively collected during three periods of 3 days each (from days 3-5; 15-17; 26-28). Gastrointestinal transit time was determined in the last 3 days of study (from days 29-31). The trichobezoars were separated from faeces, collected, dried and washed in ether for complete removal of all faecal material. The results were submitted to repeated-measure analysis of variance and means evaluated by polynomial contrast (p < 0.05). Beet pulp increased faecal production (p < 0.001) and reduced gastrointestinal transit time (p = 0.003). No alterations were found on trichobezoar faecal excretion, both as considered in number per cat per day of mg per cat per day (p > 0.05). Beet pulp intake did not reduce the number or the size of hairballs eliminated via faeces of shorthaired cats.

Huge gastric diospyrobezoars successfully treated by oral intake and endoscopic injection of Coca-Cola.

A diospyrobezoar is a type of phytobezoar that is considered to be harder than any other types of phytobezoars. Here, we describe a new treatment modality, which effectively and easily disrupted huge gastric diospyrobezoars. A 41-year-old man with a history of diabetes mellitus was admitted with lower abdominal pain and vomiting. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed three huge, round diospyrobezoars in the stomach. He was made to drink two cans of Coca-Cola every 6 h. At endoscopy the next day, the bezoars were partially dissolved and turned to be softened. We performed direct endoscopic injection of Coca-Cola into each bezoar. At repeated endoscopy the next day, the bezoars were completely dissolved.

[Medical treatment of the gastric phytobezoar. Report of a case]. / Tratamiento médico del fitobezoar gástrico. Presentación de un caso.

A 57 year old white man, was seen on the 16th, May, 1978, with the chief complaint of severe post-prandial epigastric cramping followed by nausea and vomiting and Dumping. The patient underwent troncular vagotomy and gastrojejunostomy for symptomatic and intractible hiati hernia in May 1960. Two months after discharged, he had recurrent apisodic diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Physical examination revealed a flat abdomen, incisional hernia, with epigastric tenderness. No mass was palpable. Upper gastrointestinal reontgenographic examination revealed a large mass which was thought to represent a phytobezoar practically filling distal portion of the stomach. Deambulatory treatment was instituted with Tripsin and quimiotripsin; 200000 U. every 6 hrs. and soft diet. A review of his eating habits revealed that he had eaten oranges two weeks prior to the onset of symptoms. Three weeks later, the another upper gastrointestinal examination was normal, without phytobezoar. Recovery was uneventful.