- Home
- Dog Treatments
- Gastrointestinal Resection and Anastomosis in Dogs
Gastrointestinal Resection and Anastomosis in Dogs
What are Gastrointestinal Resection and Anastomosis?
A gastrointestinal resection and anastomosis is a procedure necessary when there is significant damage or disease to a portion of the intestines or colon. Your veterinary surgeon will have to perform the gastrointestinal resection and anastomosis with the assistance of a veterinary hospital staff. There are several reasons your dog may require a gastrointestinal resection and anastomosis. Your veterinarian will discuss reasons your dog will need to have the colon or intestines cut, removed, and sutured back together. This surgery is an invasive procedure and will require a surgeon and hospital staff. If your veterinary office is not equipped to perform this surgery, your veterinarian should be able to recommend a veterinary surgeon.
Gastrointestinal Resection and Anastomosis Procedure in Dogs
Your veterinarian will start with a CBC (Complete Blood Count) to determine the nature of the illness. X-rays and possible ultrasounds will follow with fecal and urine testing.
Once the diagnosis is decided upon, your dog will be prepped for surgery.
If this is a scheduled operation, your veterinarian will request your dog fast for 12 to 18 hours prior to the surgery. Many gastrointestinal resections and anastomosis procedures are a result of emergency care. In these cases, the veterinary anesthesiologist will keep a closer eye on your dog to avoid aspiration during surgery.
Your dog will be placed under general anesthesia and oxygen before the surgery begins. Once asleep and comfortable, your dog will be prepared for surgery. The dog’s abdomen will be shaved and cleaned. The surgeon will open the dog’s abdomen and isolate the intestines. After a full inspection, the surgeon will cut and completely remove the damaged or diseased portion of intestines, suturing or stapling the two healthy ends back together.
Your dog may require at least an overnight stay in the animal hospital. Depending on the surgery, your veterinarian may request the dog stay overnight for two to five days to yield faster recovery.
The internal sutures will dissolve as the intestinal area heals. The external sutures may need to be rechecked and removed a week or two after surgery.
Efficacy of Gastrointestinal Resection and Anastomosis in Dogs
Depending on the reasons for a gastrointestinal resection and anastomosis, this surgery is typically very effective. If your veterinarian is removing a section of the gastrointestinal tract to remove a lodged foreign object, once the object is removed and the site has healed, your dog should be back to normal. If your veterinarian is removing a diseased portion of the intestines or colon, the efficacy rate will highly depend on the disease. On many occasions, once the tumor or disease is removed, the dog can live a healthy life again. However, there are times when the dog may need additional treatments, depending on the disease.
Gastrointestinal Resection and Anastomosis Recovery in Dogs
Your dog will need rest for about two weeks. Leash walking for elimination purposes only will be requested by your veterinarian. You may need to check the incision wound and change bandages at home. Your veterinarian will provide pain medications and antibiotics to administer at home.
Be sure to observe your dog eating and their time outside for the first week to ensure he has an appetite and is digesting and eliminating properly. You will need to check the suture site daily to look for infection, swelling, pain, or redness.
Before your dog leaves the hospital, your veterinarian will give you dietary recommendations to ease the gastrointestinal tract’s healing process. Your veterinarian may recommend a liquid diet for the first few days, or they may recommend feeding enterally, or through a feeding tube, temporarily.
Be sure to visit with your veterinarian for all follow-up appointments. Within three to six weeks, your dog should be back to normal.
Cost of Gastrointestinal Resection and Anastomosis in Dogs
The cost of a gastrointestinal resection and anastomosis is between $2,000 and $6,000. You will be paying for a surgeon and potential hospital time for your dog. As long as you are comfortable caring for the dog at home, your surgeon may save you costs by sending your dog home with you early. However, this may require a feeding tube and possibly subcutaneous fluids you may have to administer at home. Be sure to weigh the costs and challenges of at-home recovery with the savings of leaving the hospital early.
Follow up appointments will be necessary, and they will include X-rays or ultrasounds and bloodwork.
Whether your dog’s treatment is based on an emergency or a scheduled surgery will also affect your cost.
Worried about the cost of treating your pet's symptoms?
Pet Insurance covers the cost of many common pet health conditions. Prepare for the unexpected by getting a quote from top pet insurance providers.
Dog Gastrointestinal Resection and Anastomosis Considerations
You will want to understand the reasons behind the necessary treatment. If your dog is ill with something such as cancer, talk to your veterinarian about the risks involved in performing a gastrointestinal resection and anastomosis. If this is the only area tumors have been found, the risks may be low with a potentially high recovery rate. Your dog’s age may also be a factor in how well he will do once this surgery is complete.
If a gastrointestinal resection and anastomosis is necessary to remove foreign objects from the intestinal tract, your considerations may differ from that of an owner whose dog is ill. Without removal, an otherwise healthy dog with a blockage may die.
Gastrointestinal Resection and Anastomosis Prevention in Dogs
The best and most effective way to prevent a foreign object blockage is to watch your dog closely when he is chewing on toys. Never give your dog rawhide, which can break apart easily and become lodged in the digestive tract. Puppies, especially, need to be observed when playing with and chewing on toys. If a dog toy breaks, remove it from the dog’s play area and replace with a new toy. Cooked chicken, fish, or beef bones can splinter causing tears or lodging problems. Avoid giving your dogs any cooked bones.
Unfortunately, many illnesses such as cancer cannot be prevented. However, you can give your dog the best possible chance of a long and healthy life with a healthy whole food diet and regular exercise from an early age. Exercise together as a family for overall well-being. Feed your dog the best foods possible and supplement with fresh fruits and vegetables for added vitamins, minerals, and disease-fighting antioxidants.
Gastrointestinal Resection and Anastomosis Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
Dachshund
Boo
12 Years
10 found this helpful
10 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
None, Other Than Not Usual Appitite
My dog passed 5 days after undergoing gastrointestinal resection, for a nonmalignant mass. She succumbed to sepsis and the vet giving her a blood transfusion just hours before she died. She was not bleeding from anywhere. She suffered cardiac arrest.
No drain or N/G tube were placed at the surgery time.
This may not give you a full explanation but from what i have explained but I would appreciate an opinion on this case, please??
Her usual vet referred her to a surgeon. His view was that it was a simple procedure and we would have a happy dog for many more years. Alas not so and we are heart broken.
Dec. 24, 2017
10 Recommendations
Gastrointestinal resection and anastomosis is a fairly straightforward surgery in uncomplicated cases which every Veterinarian learns to perform during Veterinary School; however complications may occur for a variety of reasons (many of which are not the fault of the Surgeon) which include dehiscence of sutures, contamination of the peritoneal cavity, intestinal obstruction due to stricture among other causes. A simple case wouldn’t have required a drain (unless there was secondary infection or other issues at the time of surgery) or a nasogastric tube; if you believe something was done incorrectly you should have the surgery reviewed by another Veterinarian by necropsy. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Dec. 25, 2017
Was this question and answer helpful?
Jack Russell Terrier
Herman
8 Months
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Shaking
Our dog began vomiting during the night, throughout the day, and wasn’t acting right the following night. We took him in the next morning. They kept him, and performed emergency surgery that afternoon following several tests. The surgery took 2 hours. They removed the object and had to remove part of his intestines. The surgery was 15 days ago. He has recovered seemingly well but is shivering and shaking. I only notice it at night but that may only be because I’m spending more time with him then. He’s been off of his pain meds for over a week and has also finished his antibiotics. Anyone know why he could be shaking/shivering?
Boxer Mix
Luke
1 Year
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Loss Of Appetite
My one year old dog swallowed and then vomited up a sock. We took him to the vet two days later as he was not eating or drinking. He was given a shot for nausea. The next day we took him back and he received fluids. Two days after that we were told he needed emergency surgery for an obstruction which was a piece of plastic about the size of a 1/2 dollar. After surgery he never would drink water, but no food except a few small pieces of chicken Which he could not keep down. We were told to stop pain meds for a bit to help with nausea and limit his water. Five days after surgery we took him back because for another exam. He had been very lethargic, unsteady and not improving. He had no fever, blood work was fine and heart. Two days later in calapsed in the morning and died 15-20 minutes later on the way to the emergency hospital. What could have happened? We are so heartbroken because we feel we must have missed something or that he was suffering, but we followed all medical advice. Can you please give us something that will explain such a tragedy in a dog so young? Thank you so much.
