Airway obstruction in a dog after <i>Dieffenbachia</i> ingestion

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To describe a case of Dieffenbachia ingestion in a dog presented for dysphagia and airway obstruction successfully treated with a temporary tracheostomy and supportive care beyond that reported in the veterinary literature. CASE SUMMARY: An 8-year-old male neutered Labrador Retriever, weighing 30 kg, was presented with the complaint of choking and gagging. Abdominal radiographs showed that he had a distended stomach full of foreign material and a gastrotomy was performed. After receiving preanesthetic medication, the dog developed inspiratory stridor and during anesthetic induction, marked oropharyngeal swelling complicated tracheal intubation. During surgery a large amount of dog bedding and Dieffenbachia plant material was removed. Because of the severity of the oropharyngeal swelling, the dog required a temporary tracheostomy and treatment for an acute allergic reaction related to the Dieffenbachia ingestion. The patient was discharged after 6 days in the hospital and had no significant complications. NEW OR UNIQUE INFORMATION PROVIDED: To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of successful treatment of an airway obstruction related to the toxicity of Dieffenbachia ingestion.