Surgical and computed tomographic findings of retained surgical sponges in two dogs following abdominal surgery

Two dogs presented with chronic vomiting and an abdominal mass, respectively, for further investigation and treatment. Abdominal ultrasound revealed an intramural intestinal mass with a core of strongly echogenic interfaces surrounded by a rim of soft tissue echogenicity in one of the dogs and a well-demarcated soft tissue echogenicity mass in the other dog. Abdominal CT revealed an intramural intestinal mass with air attenuating centre surrounded by a soft tissue-attenuating rim in one of the dogs and a well-demarcated soft tissue-attenuating mass in the other dog. Abdominal exploration revealed a retained sponge within the intestine of one of the dogs and a sponge that adhered to the jejunum in the other dog. One of the dogs underwent intestinal resection and the other had a mass resection. One of the dogs was euthanatised due to an anastomotic leak and secondary peritonitis, and the other was free of clinical signs of abdominal disease 1 year after surgery.