Abdominal Pain or Swelling – You may see or suspect gut pain, swollen belly, bloating, hesitance to lay down.
What we will do
- Gather Historical Data: It is important to find out how long ago the symptoms started and if the patient is acting normal otherwise or if there is a change in energy or behavior.
- Gather Current Data: We will perform a thorough physical examination and determine the extent of the abscess. Radiographs (X-rays) and Bloodwork are extremely important. One major goal of fast and efficient radiographs and bloodwork is to quickly determine if the swelling is due to a problem that requires surgical intervention, or due to a problem that is medical and requires medical/non-surgical treatment. Another goal of both tests is to rapidly assess how serious the condition is.
- Treatment: Treatment for a swollen abdomen is highly variable, depending on the condition that was diagnosed in step 2. Patients who are in severe discomfort are administered pain medication while awaiting some of the test results. Some causes of a swollen abdomen (Gastric Dilatation Volvulus/GDV/Bloat/Torsion as an example) are rapidly treated with emergency surgery.