Sonographic findings in a dog with potential ‘Canine Seasonal Illness’: SCI
‘Seasonal Canine Illness’ remains a syndrome of unknown aetiology: well summarised in this article by Mayank Seth:
www.theveterinaryexpert.com/sickness-and-diarrhoea/seasonal-canine-illness-sci/
Cases appear to be clustered in certain areas within the UK: or, at least, awareness of SCI is clustered in those areas. We visit several practices close to Clumber Park and Sherwood Forest in eastern England which are traditional ‘hot spots’.
The current, putative, case ticks all the major boxes for suspecting SCI:
-seasonality (September is peak month)
-presence of Harvest Mites on the patient
-Geographical site
-Severe, acute onset, gastrointestinal signs
Numerous Harvest mites were present on his feet:
The striking finding on sonography was the profound degree of ileus. The stomach and most of the small and large intestine were massively dilated and essentially amotile. This being the Ileo-caeco-colic junction.
And the stomach:
Corrugation of the jejunum was pronounced in some areas:
But interestingly, some sections of jejunum were not dilated at all:
To be honest, I was fully expecting this dog to have a foreign body somewhere. Normally when one part of the small intestine is massively dilated and the other part is empty….
There were some very challenging intra-luminal gas bubbles:
Some of these could easily be mistaken for obstructing foreign material. However, on closer inspection and manipulation with probe pressure, all proved to be mobile and lacking the characteristic dilation on one side, empty gut on the other which always accompanies genuine obstructing FBs.
Happily he responded amazingly promptly to fluids, maropitant and metoclopramide CRI and was able to go home within a couple of days.
