An unusual gastric hernia through the chest wall in a dog after a wild boar attack

A 3-year-old, entire, female Segugio Maremmano was presented with an unusual pro-trusion of the stomach through the left thoracic wall due to a 12th rib fracture anddiaphragmatic and skin lacerations following a wild boar attack. Due to rapid changesin vital parameters and gastric incarceration, a thoracic and abdominal-focused ultra-sonographic assessment was performed, and the dog was placed under anaesthesia. Anemergency exploratory coeliotomy revealed diaphragmatic herniation involving part ofthe omentum, the head of the spleen and the stomach into the thoracic cavity, with thestomach protruding through the thoracic wall. A subsequent thoracotomy ruled outpulmonary damage. The dog recovered uneventfully. This is the first reported case ofgastric protrusion through the left thoracic wall after a wild boar attack. This articlehighlights the value of thoracic and abdominal-focused sonography in critical cases andthe importance of prompt surgical treatment