09/07/2022
Non surgical management of choke due to unknown foreign body and a known foreign body (Trichobezoar) in a Heifer
History and clinical examination:
A two year old crossbred Heifer was presented with the history of severe bloat, respiratory distress, copious drooling of saliva and inability to swallow. The case was treated by local veterinarian for Poisonous. On clinical examination the animal was coughing at regular intervals. A high pitched ping was heard on auscultation and percussion of the left paralumbar fossa due to free gas bloat. Swelling was observed from outside and the hard oval shape object was palpable in the mid oesophagus and is immovable by manipulation.
Animal was anaesthetize using xylazine. An attempt was made to push object into ruminal cavity using stomach tube and it was successful. Then 1 lit of water was poured orally no reurgitation was observed.
After 5 days again animal had bloat with no signs of ptyalism and spitting its chewing cud. On clinical examination revealed sphere shaped palpable mass noticed in the caudal oesophagus an is movable. By manipulative treatment foreign body was retrieved orally.
Owner said its a Ettikai engulfed while grazing in forest. I tried to break that object using stone i cant so i moved. Later owner broke tat mass and said its a hair ball( Trichobezoar).
Discussion:
Since the palpable mass appears hard oval immovable by manipulation and the animal were grazed under mango tree accidentally it may ingest mango kernel which cause obstruction on tat first day.
Again after 5 days, I feel that the trichobezoar was regurgitated rather than ingested, because of the absence of teeth marks on its outer surface. Similar observations were made by Patel and Brace (1995). Gahlot et al. (2006) reported a case of oesophageal obstruction due to an oval and smooth tricho - phytobezoar in a cow. However, in the present case the trichobezoar was smooth and sphere shaped.
