From:
ejaml@concentric.net
Date: 2001-04-23 02:32:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Perforated Intestine
> > Another thing I should have mentioned is both visits the doctor
used a probe to scoop out a stool sample.
<snip>
>
>
> Well, now I haven't heard of anyone using a wand to get stool from
> animals in a long time, and I don't know of anyone that uses one in
> ferrets. An with a perforstion being the cause of death, I guess
hat
> I would have to wonder if this may have contributed to the
> perforation. It would be interesting to see where the perforation
> occurred here - small intestine, colon, or rectum.
> >
>
> With kindest regards,
>
> Bruce H. Williams, DVM, DACVP
Dr. Williams,
With me calling it a probe and you calling it a wand I think many are
wondering and trying to picture the instrument in their minds. So
I'll describe it.... If you've ever seen a stir stick for coffee that
has a tiny spoon on the end picture it in that shape but with a spoon
on each end. Instead of the spoon ends being solid so it can hold
something it is open in a loop fashion so it is able to have that
space gather/collect mater within it. It's approximately 6 inches
long.
The rest of this post is detailed and unpleasant to read, just
thought I'd let you know before hand.
The perforation was not in the rectum or colon, that much I'm pretty
sure of. Exactly what part of the intestine I myself couldn't say. I
can tell you it was not seen when the incision was made to expose the
organs in his abdominal cavity. I do know that it was located on the
last area that was examined and was not visible until lifted out and
rolled over. Where that area would be normally, I can't say. It was
on an area of his intestines that laid back by his spine, the
perforation was on the side of it. It was not at the beginning of the
intestines by his stomach but at the other end. The size of the
intestine was approximately the size of my thumb in roundness and
roughly 6 inches in length if not more. The digested food before and
after the perforation was what I would call well digested, not a
liquid but on the drier side so that with tweezers you could remove
it, and normal in color. The opening of the perforation was round,
just a little bit bigger then size of the top of a pencil eraser.
None of the digested food was protruding out of the opening until the
doctor used an instrument to move the intestine (what was in the
abdominal area was there from before). When he applied pressure
it began to protrude rolling the tissue of the opening back. The
coloration of that whole area was not pink but more purple in color.
I assumed at the time it was because the intestine was so enlarged
with all that food being eaten and not passed or vomited up. I'm not
in the medical field and this is the best that I can describe what I
saw and where it was located.
I should be getting the pathology report back today or tomorrow and
that should have important information on it. I just read in an
earlier post that someone will be sending you tissue samples. If
you'd like I'll gladly see if I can do the same thing.
Ann