34th Annual Scientific Meeting proceedings

Objectives:

Septic uroabdomen is uncommonly reported in veterinary medicine. Stone retrieval from the peritoneal cavity of cases with uroabdomen has never been reported. This study aimed to describe the clinical features, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis for dogs diagnosed with septic uroabdomen secondary to bladder rupture and urolith dissemination in the peritoneal cavity.

Methods:

The information retrieved from the medical records included signalment, clinical signs, hematologic changes, imaging findings, biochemical analysis of the peritoneal effusion, culture results, stone analysis and number, medical and surgical treatments, complications, hospitalisation time, and outcomes for dogs admitted to the emergency department of three veterinary clinics due to septic uroabdomen.

Results:

Bladder rupture and stone migration into the abdomen were observed intraoperatively in all eight dogs. Cystoliths were detected preoperatively by abdominal ultrasonography in 3/8 dogs. Partial cystectomy was performed in 7/8 dogs due to bladder wall necrosis. Cytology of the peritoneal fluid identified bacteria in all dogs, and positive culture results were available in 7/8 dogs. The most reported bacterium was Staphylococcus spp. (5/7), and only one multi-drug-resistant bacterial apecies was isolated. No intra-operative or long-term post-operative complications were reported, and all dogs survived to hospital discharge. Mild transient incontinence occurred in two dogs.

Conclusions:

Septic uroabdomen secondary to bladder rupture and cystolith dissemination into the peritoneal cavity can have a good to excellent prognosis. A thorough abdominal exploration is recommended to try to remove all the cystoliths, as they might not always be detectable by ultrasonography or radiography preoperatively.