XRay Case Study

[JordanAng420]

Hey guys,
I have been pretty quiet the past few months. I've had a LOT going on at work, probably a little more than I thought I could handle, so as a result, my social & internet life had to take a break for a little while. It's really nice to be back...it's going to take a while to sift through everything I have missed.

A while ago, I posted a few threads which included pictures of some really cool xrays of some dogs and cats, and I got a lot of positive feedback about it. Several people asking me to continue those types of threads. Today, I got the most interesting case I have ever been involved in (in 12 years) as a vet tech....

8 year old, spayed female, dachshund. Spayed about one year ago, with no complications noted from the owner. The dog is brought to us for lack of appetite for a week, and lethargy. Here is what we found in the XRay.

What is in the abdomen? Lateral and Ventral Dorsal views of XRay shown.

Lateral

VD

 

[DrCarrotTail]

My best guess would be some sort of stuffed toy with some crazy googly eyes. I hope she pulls through!

 

[jandj25]

It looks like a hard object to me. I hope the dog will be alright.

 

[JordanAng420]

The dog is doing okay, as of today.

Keep guessing.

 

[Cesar_Da_KIng]

A worm from the Tremors movie?

 

[katie_]

Looks the like skull and backbone of another animal.
Some freak fetus lol?

 

[JordanAng420]

You're onto something Katie...

 

[katie_]

Its not in her uterus, as thats gone...
Its in her back! Maybe she resorbed a twin in the womb?

 

[katie_]

had she had previous litters?

 

[Cesar_Da_KIng]

One of those new body atlercations the kids are into?

 

[JordanAng420]

No previous litters noted from the owner. However, this dog is only 4.5 lbs and probably would have only carried one or two pups to begin with. I'm not sure if she was ever actually bred or mounted, I wasn't in the exam room initially.

 

[katie_]

Tell us!

 

[DrCarrotTail]

Trying to remember that song about swallowing things...it goes something like...."There was this old lady who swallowed a fly...I don't know why she swallowed a fly...I guess she'll die. She swallowed a spider to catch the fly....

I can't remember what she swallowed after the fly...maybe the dog was trying to see if it worked?

Now that you mention it I can make out a spine and rib cage. I think I can see a pelvis too so that rules out snake. Hmmm....I'm gonna change my best guess to a bird? I'm pretty sure my friends mini dachshunds are quick and nippy enough to catch them!

 

[katie_]

The skull looks like it belongs to a carnivor, I'm guessing dog.

 

[CNest]

I see a skull and a spine. Did she have an atopic (sp?) pregnancy before she was spayed? Think they call them "stone babies" in people. Or maybe she was a conjoined twin and absorbed it? Or a form of chimerism? Haha I dunno I'm throwing things out there.

 

[Ozy]

Probably found a dead something and ate it. Gross

 

[katie_]

I would be incredibly surprized if a 4.5 lb dog could swallow something so large. To me it doesnt look to be in her stomach.

 

[SkinnyPete]

I am guessing absorbed twin. I thought squirrel for a minute, but it looks to high in the body cavity for that. Plus the bone structure doesnt look right. I vote incomplete split, internal twin mass.

 

[JordanAng420]

I see a skull and a spine. Did she have an atopic (sp?) pregnancy before she was spayed? Think they call them "stone babies" in people.

YES!!!

This is a mummified fetus. From an ectopic pregnancy before she was spayed. It is extremely rare and almost "unheard of" in veterinary medicine. The type of thing you usually only see in textbooks.

We don't think the mummified fetus is the source of her lethargy and anorexia. She has some liver issues as well, and today she had an ultrasound for that. Several small masses were found on the surface of her liver and kidneys.

As for the people who guessed parasitic twin: That HAS NOT been ruled out yet.

Such a cool case. GREAT job Zabrina! :main_thumbsup:

 

[Frankie04]

So it's not an Alien ?
I was ready to call Sigourney Weaver for help!