ILEAL CANNULATION AND ASSOCIATED COMPLICATIONS IN DOGS

Accurate measurement of small intestinal digestibility is important in dogs because it allows the formulation of pet foods that provide opti mal nutrition at minimal cost. Digestibility measured by comparing nut rient intake to fecal excretion in intact animals does not distinguish small intestinal digestion from large intestinal bacterial fermentati on. Real cannulation allows small intestinal digestion to be measured alone by comparing nutrient intake with heal excretion of chyme. Never theless, ileal cannulation and its associated complications are not we ll documented in dogs. We describe the implantation of a simple T-cann ula in the ileum of nine dogs for an average duration of 26 weeks. Est ablished cannulas were well tolerated, and one dog retained the cannul a for 14 months. Nevertheless, heal effluent proved extremely caustic, and the incidence of complications in the immediate postoperative per iod was high. Only one dog had an unremarkable postoperative course. C omplications included abscessation and cannula extrusion followed by s evere excoriation and ulceration of the skin, This excoriation could b e prevented only by immediate surgical closure of the fistula. Chronic heal cannulation is therefore a viable technique in dogs, but careful monitoring of the cannula site is essential. Dogs should be subjected to this procedure only if adequate veterinary and nursing care is ava ilable. It is preferable to maintain a colony of long-term cannulated dogs rather than to implant cannulas as needed.