My dog is vomiting after surgery. What's the best test for a blockage?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If xrays and general labwork have been performed already, I would start looking for other possibilities causing this with more advanced diagnostics such as an abdominal ultrasound and GI panel to begin with. Another disease they could investigate is Addison's disease. This would expand the diagnostics to the point of being able to more extensively look into what may be causing this in him. Treatment if any would depend on findings. Good luck!

It seems there is something in the stomach indeed but it is not likely to cause an obstruction, it could be the cause of the symptoms though but an ultrasound is indeed necessary to confirm it. another option is to repeat the xray with contrast media in order to get a better idea regarding what could be in the stomach.

The next thing to consider would be an abdominal ultrasound and potentially considering gastroscopy (endoscopic examination of the upper GI tract). A barium study might also be useful when doing x-rays to see what the barium does as it moves through the GI tract. I hope this helps!

I can see a few areas in the x-ray that would concern me although I don’t think there’s an obvious foreign body or obstruction. It might be more obvious in person - it’s difficult to look at x-rays on a phone. Any time a dog is continuing to vomit despite appropriate treatment with anti nausea medication I get concerned, and it sounds like exploratory surgery might be the next step.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Continued vomiting is concerning for a blockage in the GI tract. I recommend the following: 1. x-rays of her stomach and intestines to see if there is a blockage 2. Ultrasound of her abdomen if x-rays are unclear or don't give an answer 3. If seems just like gastritis- talk to your vet about anti-nausea medications and if she needs to be on IV fluids. I am worried she either has peritonitis or a blockage in her gut. The bloodwork that you have included is unremarkable. No concerns. Best of luck with Masha, I hope she feels better soon.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Boo! I am sorry that Boo is so sick! I would assume that your Vet took Boo to surgery because they felt that she had a blockage. We always weigh the pros and cons of doing an exploratory surgery and never do it unless the evidence is strong. Sometimes we are between a rock and hard place because the animal is not improving and it is best to look and be sure that the X-rays and barium series (dye) didn't miss anything. No imaging modality is perfect. The only way to know 100% for sure there is nothing stuck is to go look. I ALWAYS warn owners, despite clear evidence, that we could go in and find nothing. It happens all the time. Personally I'd rather find nothing that have animal pass away because of an intestinal perforation from a foreign body that I could have fixed. I am very sorry that the outcome wasn't what you hoped for but I would rest assured your Vet is doing what they believe is in the best interest of Boo. I hope this helps and I wish Boo the very best!

I am sorry you aren't happy with the level of communication you are receiving. I can't really speak intelligently about what is going on at your hosiptal, but I can tell you the usefulness of the barium test. Typically, the barium series is run over a course of either 4, 6, or 8 hours. A contrast medium is force fed to the patient, which allows us to serially monitor the movement of fluids through the GI tract. If there is a structural obstruction or GI motility issue, this is usually a great diagnostic tool in telling us exactly where the issue is arising. Depending on the problem they may find, some of these issues are surgical while others are medically treatable. For instance, if there is a GI blockage, they often have to enter surgically to correct the issue. If there is just some sort of medical issue that is delaying the emptying of the stomach or preventing intestinal contractions, medications can often resolve this type of problem. I wouldn't worry too much until you have something definitive to worry about! Lets wait and see what the results are first.