I have had a phone call tonight from one of my puppy owners. 4 months old and admitted into the Vets with appendicitis. Anyone ever heard of this before with a dog. Also the Vets say they cannot take it out like you would in a human. Anyone ever had any experiences.

Never heard of it in a dog, so I am watching for answers.  Doesn't hurt for us to learn.  But I am surprised.

I didn't even know dogs had an appendix! Isn't it more common in animals that digest a lot of cellulose?

I've just checked. Dogs do have an appendix. So do cats, although a smaller one. (This because they eat mainly meat.)
I've never heard of appendicitis in a dog, though.

> So do cats, although a smaller one. (This because they eat mainly meat.)

Cats are obligate carnivores and haven't evolved from anything that didn't eat meat.... so no need for an appendix. Some sites say dogs don't have one either. I used to have one, but it's gone...lol

I suppose if they have an appendix it could become infected just like ours and need removing.

Not sure if this muddies the waters or clears it.... but a study of the vermiform appendix:http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:CTc54saoSFgJ:kumj.com.np/ftp/issue/4/272.pdf+vermiform+appendix+%2Bdog&hl=en&gl=uk&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjFrAl6ySfsc5_KZcjI_LKvTHwcE-C9sb0Acoy6dNBYkdrrgzDm4R6QDmdNshCWmoomGPDKZ_n47erQRy-H6mAbd8gOFd1_YXmuHzA48NmDYAH2TNdBh2bk0Z9Alp4piBB99mq-&sig=AHIEtbRkN0bHzh4XnAa2VsxUPOX9S-jcmA]Kathmandu University Medical Journal (2003) Vol. 1, No. 4, Issue 4, 272-275

and I give up on trying to make it a shorter link! lol

> I used to have one, but it's gone...lol

ROFL!!!  :-)  :-) 

Never heard of it in a dog

Exactly my thoughts. I have been around dogs for a long time and I would have thought that at some point I would have heard of someones dog having it.
I have searched Merck Veterinary Manual and it doesn't mention it at all so am hopeful that someone can answer my question and give me more insight. At the moment they are saying that they have  done surgery yet cannot take it out of a dog and will have to give antibiotics! okay, so what surgery have they done. Wish I knew more. I think I will have to speak to my vet and see what answers he comes up with.

eh opened the dogs up had a look then closed him  weird unless they were just doing an investigation. What were the symptoms ?

Started to go off her food. When they came back from work (only work a couple of hours) she was in her bed which she has under the table. She would not come out and in the end the whole bed had to be dragged out. The Vets did a scan/x-ray? and decided that is what it was. Said the appendix was 4 times its normal size, but that they don't take them out?! Really not sure about anything else will have to wait for the owner to update me. I am just so surprised that I cannot find out any more info off the internet though.

> have searched Merck Veterinary Manual

I have been looking for Black's Veterinary Dictionary to see if I can throw up any information, but I can't find where I put it.  Will see if I can shed any light at work tomorrow.  Like Alison it's something I've never heard of.  Given the amount of dogs I've owned and known, it must be something ever so rare!  Because you usually experience different illnesses over the years.  I am intrigued.

does seem to be an odd one I am no expert with dogs but will ask my sil tomorrow as well she was a senior vet nurse and may know something

I've looked in Veterinary Notes for dog owners by Trevor Turner, nothing there.

I hope you find out more information from your owners and that there is a positive outcome.

Well, what they have done is opened her up and 'washed ' the appendix out and she is now on antibiotics. She is back to her normal self, eating and interested in life again. They have taken a biopsy in case she goes downhill again. She is a little bit sorry for herself but otherwise okay. I still cannot understand why no-one seems to have heard of this condition in a dog. Will keep you updated on any more info. It is amazing how long you can be in dogs and still not know all the ins and outs.

Have never heard of it either!!   But pleased that the puppy is back to her normal self.   Would be interested to hear the outcome if any more information is available regarding the condition.

Well, I couldn't find anything in Black's at work today, so went to see one of the vets that I work with.  Bear in mind, we deal with large livestock, and the older vets haven't worked on small animals for years. 

At least he was helpful, and promised to bring in the anatomy of a dog on Monday.  I'm on leave now for Cruft's.

WEEEELLL.  You'll like this Alison!  :-)   A newer vet, that had come from private practise, was obviously listening in!

She asked, did I hear you say that a vet couldn't remove an appendix on a dog?  I said yes - she says, Well, I'm not surprised!  A dog doesn't have one!  :-)  :-)  :-)

I will reserve judgement until I see this book on Monday, but as I walked off I heard both vets talking about compaction needing to be washed out.  Wondering if that's what the vet did on your pup?

Anyway, just thought I would pass this on, as like you, I have never heard of a dog with appendicitis!

Jean, I have used Ask.com and it says that dogs do have an appendix and they can have appendicitis but I cannot find out anything about treatment. Thing is the owner thought at first it would possibly be that the pup have swallowed something that was causing an impaction and was shocked to hear the diagnosis. Her Vet says that he sees cases usually in young dogs so why is there no info when you google it??
Strange one you would have thought that we would have heard someone having had their dog with the condition before now! Still trawling looking for info. Thanks for you input.

When you Google half the answers say NO appendix and half say YES appendix (or similar to an appendix)

This answer seemed to make the most sense:
The portion of the intestinal tract called the appendix in humans does not actually exist in dogs. In humans the cecum is a sac-like, partly coiled or twisted pocket of the first section of the large intestine. The appendix is a narrow, tubular, blind ended sack off of the cecum in humans (but not in dogs).
Dogs do have a cecum section of their bowel though, and a twist of the intestines there cutting off the pocket can happen causing similar results in a dog as an appendix problem in a human.  Hope this helps you!

I wonder if the vet simply described it as appendicitis to make it easier for the owner to understand?

Thanks for that, very informative

> This answer seemed to make the most sense:
>

Yes, it does.  Thanks dogs a babe, I can see now why some vets say that they definitely don't have one.  I suppose the fact they have something similar, it's debatable how a vet would put it across to a layman.

I know that my own, specialist small animal vet never uses the term encysted worms when talking to clients.  I suppose he feels that most of us really don't need to know the ins and outs of it.  But, as a breeder, it's a term I use when discussing pregnant bitches.

So I do believe that vets choose to tell us the basics, probably thinking that we wouldn't otherwise understand.

My French Bulldog had an operation for this yesterday. I saw the blockage on Xray, but none of use knew what it was.

the Vets found a huge Appendix its called CARCUM pronouned Circum, and yes dogs need theres. the Vets are doing moe reserch but have left it in.

Done biopsy and taken limph node etc. blood test all gone off.

They have never seen it befor either.

His symtons were the Runs and Running Backward down the garden very fast. really odd wish had it on film now.

He is fine today and eating again after nothing at all for Four days.
on anti-biotics for the operation. so treatment has not been found out yet.. maybe diet thing not sure.

the Appendix was full of poo so that has been emptied. think it could fill up again, and can they burst likr ours can.?

it is a worry. Yours sound same as mine the main difference the ages, my boy is 2 years and 9 months old.
very agile fit lad nomally.

> its called CARCUM

I think it will be caecum, although the Americans seem to spell it cecum, which might help if you are looking things up on the net.

Goodness!  I just put carcum into Google and I wouldn't recommend doing that!

yes think you are right, with spelling.  those that have a dog with this will know what i mean.

i was told the correct name by my vets as they know i will ask for it and be written down.

the fact is, waht next.

i will wait for them to do there reserch and then if no luck seak a second opinion.

he too seems fine today and eating well mall amounts at a time also drinking so no need to hydrate more.

So mine goes back tomorrow for check up, the anti-biotics are for this operation, its big. so we need to find out about actuall treatment.