23/07/2025
The Critical Role of Physical Palpation in Veterinary Diagnosis
📍 Case Highlight from Dr. Grover’s Multispeciality Veterinary Clinic
A 2.5-year-old male Labrador was presented with a 10-day history of vomiting and diarrhea, progressive tenesmus (straining to defecate), hindlimb weakness, and now complete recumbency and lethargy.
🩸 Hematology revealed anemia and marked leukocytosis, indicating systemic inflammation.
Notably, no abdominal palpation had been conducted prior to presentation.
🔍 On clinical examination, a firm, well-circumscribed intra-abdominal mass was detected via systematic abdominal palpation.
🖥️ Ultrasound imaging revealed a large, hyperechoic mass with pronounced acoustic shadowing, highly suggestive of mineralized content.
🛑 An emergency exploratory laparotomy was performed, during which the mass was identified as a giant fecolith causing colonic obstruction and significant systemic compromise.
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🧠 Clinical Insight:
Physical palpation remains a cornerstone of veterinary clinical examination.
It is cost-effective, rapid, and can provide critical diagnostic clues — especially in gastrointestinal, urinary, and reproductive disorders.
💡 Always correlate physical findings with imaging and laboratory diagnostics. Skipping a thorough physical exam can delay life-saving interventions.
