Foreign bodies are common in animals, especially young dogs and cats.
Dogs will readily eat toys, bones, and any object that either has food on it or retains the odor of food.
Unlike humans, dogs are susceptible to gastrointestinal obstruction due to their ability to swallow relatively large objects and pass them through the esophagus.
Foreign bodies most commonly become lodged in the stomach because of the inability to pass through the pyloric sphincter into the jejunum.
Symptoms of gastrointestinal obstruction include vomiting, abdominal pain often characterized by aggression, acute infection, and depression due to dehydration.
Treatment of a foreign body is determined by its severity.
The amount of time a foreign body is present, location of the object, degree of obstruction, previous health status of the animal and the type of material from which the foreign body is made can all determine the severity of the condition.
Peritonitis results if either the stomach or intestine has ruptured.
Foreign bodies in the stomach can sometimes be removed by endoscopic retrieval or if necessary by gastrotomy.
Very often, a simple instrument to remove foreign bodies without operation endoscopy is the Hartmann Alligator Forceps.
The instrument is manufactured from 8 cm to 1 m length.
Foreign bodies in the jejunum are removed by enterotomy.

Certain foreign bodies in animals are especially problematic.
Bones or objects with sharp edges may cause tearing of the wall of the esophagus, stomach, or small intestine and lead to peritonitis.
Pennies swallowed in large numbers may cause zinc poisoning, which in dogs leads to severe gastroenteritis and hemolytic anemia.
Linear foreign bodies can especially be dangerous.
 A linear foreign body is usually a length of string or yarn with a larger object or clump of material at either end.
One end is usually lodged in the stomach or proximal small intestine and the other end continues to travel through the intestines.
 The material becomes tightly stretched and the intestines may "accordion up" on themselves or be lacerated by it.
This is especially common in cats who may enjoy playing with a ball of string or yarn.
 Sometimes the linear foreign body anchors in the mouth by catching under the tongue.
Pantyhose is a common linear foreign body in dogs.
Foreign bodies are common in animals, especially young dogs and cats. Dogs will readily eat toys, bones, and any object that either has food on it or retains the odor of food. Unlike humans, dogs are susceptible to gastrointestinal obstruction due to their ability to swallow relatively large objects and pass them through the esophagus. Foreign bodies most commonly become lodged in the stomach because of the inability to pass through the pyloric sphincter into the jejunum. Symptoms of gastrointestinal obstruction include vomiting, abdominal pain often characterized by aggression, acute infection, and depression due to dehydration. Treatment of a foreign body is determined by its severity. The amount of time a foreign body is present, location of the object, degree of obstruction, previous health status of the animal and the type of material from which the foreign body is made can all determine the severity of the condition. Peritonitis results if either the stomach or intestine has ruptured. Foreign bodies in the stomach can sometimes be removed by endoscopic retrieval or if necessary by gastrotomy. Very often, a simple instrument to remove foreign bodies without operation endoscopy is the Hartmann Alligator Forceps. The instrument is manufactured from 8 cm to 1 m length. Foreign bodies in the jejunum are removed by enterotomy.
Certain foreign bodies in animals are especially problematic. Bones or objects with sharp edges may cause tearing of the wall of the esophagus, stomach, or small intestine and lead to peritonitis. Pennies swallowed in large numbers may cause zinc poisoning, which in dogs leads to severe gastroenteritis and hemolytic anemia. Linear foreign bodies can especially be dangerous.  A linear foreign body is usually a length of string or yarn with a larger object or clump of material at either end. One end is usually lodged in the stomach or proximal small intestine and the other end continues to travel through the intestines.  The material becomes tightly stretched and the intestines may "accordion up" on themselves or be lacerated by it. This is especially common in cats who may enjoy playing with a ball of string or yarn.  Sometimes the linear foreign body anchors in the mouth by catching under the tongue. Pantyhose is a common linear foreign body in dogs.
Foreign body