Case 1
A 6-year-old, 12-kg, female mixed-breed dog underwent a transanal-rectal pull-through surgery for adenocarcinoma of the colon.
Three days after surgery, the dog was presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the University of Teramo with a history of weakness and dysorexia. A physical examination showed evidence of tachypnea (44 breaths/min), mucosal pallor, abdominal pain, and hyperthermia (40.3 °C). Dehiscence of a previously placed anastomotic suture was suspected. Digital rectal palpation confirmed the presence of a partial ventral-left-lateral dehiscence of the colorectal anastomosis localized approximately 1.5 cm from the anus. Laboratory findings showed mild hypoalbuminemia (2.4 g/dL; reference range, 2.8-3.7 g/dL) and leukocytosis (22 × 103/mm3; reference range, 6-17 × 103/mm3). The packed cell volume was 39% (reference range, 35-55%), and total protein level was 6.7 g/dL (reference range, 6-7.5 g/dL). Lateral and dorsoventral abdominal radiographs showed decreased serosal surface visualization with a ground-glass appearance in the caudal abdomen. The ultrasound examination showed a moderate amount of free peritoneal fluid with hyperechoic fat in the caudal abdomen. Fluid samples were collected by ultrasound-guided abdominocentesis. Degenerate neutrophils and vegetable material were found among the cytological findings.
The dog was hospitalized for surgical revision. During the hospitalization, the dog received maintenance fluid therapy with lactated Ringer’s solution (4 mL/kg/h), methadone (0.2 mg/kg, every 4 hours, administered
according to the Glasgow pain scale), and metronidazole-spiramycin (10 mg/kg, every 12 hours, administered orally).