Acute Abdomen Diagnosis Surgery and Post Op Care

Acute abdomen is defined as the sudden onset abdominal discomfort or pain due to a variety of conditions involving intraabdominal organs. Many animals present with the primary complaint of lethargy, anorexia, ptyalism, vomiting, retching, diarrhea, hematochezia, crying out, moaning, or abnormal postures. Abnormal postures can include generalized rigidity, walking tenderly or as if “on eggshells”, or a prayer position in which the front limbs are lowered to the ground while the hind end remains standing. In some cases, it may be difficult to initially distinguish between true abdominal pain or referred pain from intervertebral disk disease. Rapid progression and decompensation of the patient’s cardiovascular status can lead to stupor, coma, and death in the most extreme cases, making rapid assessment, treatment and definitive care extremely challenging. ...