Retrieval of Thoracic Oesophageal Foreign Body Using Forceps through Gastrotomy in a Puppy

Oesophageal foreign bodies are one of the common clinical disorder, which can become life threatening in dogs. A three month old cross bred puppy was presented to the Department of Surgery and Radiology,Veterinary College, Hebbal, Bangalore with the history of inappetence, retching, regurgitation, dysphagia and hypersalivation after taking a chicken bone. On clinical examination, vital signs like temperature, respiration and heart rate were within physiological limits. The survey radiography of lateral thorax demonstrated irregular shaped radio-opaque foreign body lodged in the thoracic part of oesophagus between heart and diaphragm. Exploratory laparotomy was performed to retrieve thoracic oesophageal foreign body through gastrotomy incision using forceps. Subsequently, animal recovered uneventfully without any complications.