Wednesday, February 23, 2011

More Rocks




This case doesn't involve ingested rocks but "rocks" or stones (cystic calculi) that can form in the bladder when minerals that are normally dissolved crystalize out in the urine. At first the crystals are microscopic but can build on each other like a lattice work until they are large enough to irritate the bladder lining or even block the flow of urine. I've seen bladder stones that ranged from the size from grains of sand to hen's egg. These photos show the stones visible on x-ray, the stones following surgical removal, and the placement of the last suture in the bladder following removal. The patient is an 8 year old Miniture Schnauzer.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Please Don't Eat the Rocks






Bottom photo: 2 rocks visible in the small intestine. The angular one was blocking the small intestine. A 3rd. rock is in the stomach to the left of the other two, not as easily seen because it is partially whited out by the stomach. The rocks were successfully removed surgically through 2 incisions in the small intestine (enterotomy) and 1 in the stomach (gastrotomy).



Top Photo: Ben on suture removal day feeling much better.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Don't Ignore the Lump!


The huge majority of growths in the skin (cutaneous) or under the skin (subcutaneous) are benign. The problem is that you can rarely tell the difference from just looking at them. The most common malignant cutaneous skin tumor in the dog is the mastocytoma, also called mast cell tumor. It makes up 16 to 20 percent of all skin tumors in dogs. They can vary greatly vary in appearance. While most malignant cutaneous masses are firm and often nodular, the one in the photo on a dog's abdomen had the appearance of a fleshy benign patch of skin on a mammary gland. A "needle biopsy" revealed mast cells and subsequent surgical biopsy comfirmed that it was a mast cell tumor.