Professor College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Gyeongsang National University Jinju, Kyongsang-namdo, Republic of Korea
Abstract:
Background: In veterinary medicine, the accurate and timely diagnosis of gastrointestinal disorders in dogs is crucial for effective treatment and improved patient outcomes. Hypothesis/
Objectives: This study evaluated the efficiency and sensitivity of real-time video capsule endoscopy (RT-VCE) in detecting surgical or nonsurgical gastric lesions in an emergency veterinary setting and to evaluate patient acceptance and the ability of clinicians to make decisions using RT-VCE data.Animals: Thirteen client-owned dogs (mean age 5.93 ±4.27 years, mean weight 21.42 ± 9.53 kg)
Methods: Client-owned dogs with an acute onset of vomiting were enrolled in this study. The dogs received antiemetics and antiacids before undergoing RT-VCE (MC1200, MiroCam®, Intromedic, South Korea). Two clinicians reviewed RT-VCE images for the quality and presence of lesions to make a clinical decision.
Results: RT-VCE exam was performed in 13 dogs. The time to reach medical decision ranged from 1 to 48 min (mean 23.61 ± 14.04 minutes). The two veterinary clinicians unanimously agreed the interpretation. Six dogs were diagnosed with gastric foreign bodies and underwent surgical retrieval. The other dogs were diagnosed with gastritis, gastric ulcerations, and hemorrhages. None of the dogs vomited from the capsule endoscopes after the procedure and no other adverse effects were observed. Conclusions and clinical importance: RT-VCE is an efficient, sensitive, and well-tolerated method for identifying acute gastric lesions and foreign bodies in dogs. This study findings suggest that RT-VCE could provide a fast, accurate, and well-tolerated method for diagnosing and managing gastric conditions in dogs with acute vomiting.
