Surgical retrieval of unusual horse whip as linear gastric foreign body in a Great Dane pup

Abstract

A 7 month old male Great Dane was brought to Small Animal Surgery Unit of Veterinary Clinical Complex, Veterinary College and Research Institute, Tirunelveli with the history of accidental engulfing a horse whip on previous day. Abdominal radiography confirmed the presence of handle of the horse whip in the gastric area. Cranial midventral laparotomy was performed under general anaesthesia and the horse whip was removed by gentle traction by gastrotomy. Post- operatively animal was administered with antibiotics, analgesics and maintenance fluid therapy for seven days. The dog was maintained in partial parental nutrition for 3 days and gastrointestinal protectants for 5 days. On 9th day sutures were removed and animal recovered uneventfully.