Dog x-ray showed foreign object, but surgery found nothing. Why?

I see what you’ve circled in you picture but I think it looks more like a fold in the stomach, especially when you look at the other x-ray view. I would trust the radiologist - if Fergie starts to show symptoms of a gastric foreign body then you might want to have an ultrasound performed.

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.

Bed sheet is not a material that is easy to spot on the xray, it doesn't mean it is not there. it could still be in the stomach or intestines, Midnight will need to have an ultrasound done, it is a more specific imaging diagnostic test for this sort of foreign material.

Without knowing what tests or examinations your vet performed, it would be hard to tell how they came to that conclusion. Typically, X-rays are taken to help determine where something is stuck, as it will appear more opaque on the X-ray, though not every foreign body will show up well on one. If she hasn't passed the string, or is acting painful in the abdomen, vomiting, etc, it is possible it may be stuck and she should be brought back into the vet for care.

Unfortunately the quality of the image coming through to us isn't great. If you are talking about the circular area on the upper right side of the abdomen, this is gas in the stomach and can be normal. If your vet wants to try additional diagnostics but doesn't have ultrasound, they could do a barium study, or they could send the x-rays to a radiologist for review (a veterinary radiologist has extensive training at reviewing x-rays and so can sometimes interpret things a regular vet may not). X-rays can be send electronically to a radiologist for review through various services, so I would ask them if they feel either of these options would be appropriate.

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!

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. The x-rays that you provided show what looks to be foreign material in the stomach. It looks very similar to pieces of a ball with the rounded edges. This does not appear to be ingested food based on the appearance and shape period while not serious at the moment, one of these could pass from the stomach into the intestines and cause serious problems. I would consider rechecking the X-ray a few hours after the previous x-rays have been taken to see if there has been any change in the pattern. If there is no change in the pattern, I would suggest taking pixie in for surgery to have the abdomen explored. Prior to the surgery, you can also have an abdominal ultrasound performed to help confirm foreign material in the stomach. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please feel free to contact you any other questions or concerns you may have