Hemolytic jaundice, also known as prehepatic jaundice, is a type of jaundice arising from hemolysis or excessive destruction of red blood cells, when the byproduct bilirubin is not excreted by the hepatic cells quickly enough. Unless the patient is concurrently affected by hepatic dysfunctions or is experiencing hepatocellular damage, the liver does not contribute to this type of jaundice.As one of the three categories of jaundice, the most obvious sign of hemolytic jaundice is the discolouration or yellowing of the sclera and the skin of the patient, but additional symptoms may be observed depending on the underlying causes of hemolysis. Hemolytic causes associated with bilirubin overproduction are diverse and include disorders such as sickle cell anemia, hereditary spherocytosis, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, hemolysis secondary to drug toxicity, thalassemia minor, and congenital dyserythropoietic anemias. Pathophysiology of hemolytic jaundice directly involves the metabolism of bilirubin, where overproduction of bilirubin due to hemolysis exceeds the livers ability to conjugate bilirubin to glucuronic acid.Diagnosis of hemolytic jaundice is based mainly on visual assessment of the yellowing of the patients skin and sclera, while the cause of hemolysis must be determined using laboratory tests. Treatment of the condition is specific to the cause of hemolysis, but intense phototherapy and exchange transfusion can be used to help the patient excrete accumulated bilirubin. Complications related to hemolytic jaundice include hyperbilirubinemia and chronic bilirubin encephalopathy, which may be deadly without proper treatment.
Treatment of a foreign body is determined by its severity. The amount of time a foreign body is present, location of the object, degree of obstruction, previous health status of the animal and the type of material from which the foreign body is made can all determine the severity of the condition. Peritonitis results if either the stomach or intestine has ruptured. Foreign bodies in the stomach can sometimes be removed by endoscopic retrieval or if necessary by gastrotomy. Very often, a simple instrument to remove foreign bodies without operation endoscopy is the Hartmann Alligator Forceps. The instrument is manufactured from 8 cm to 1 m length. Foreign bodies in the jejunum are removed by enterotomy. Certain foreign bodies in animals are especially problematic. Bones or objects with sharp edges may cause tearing of the wall of the esophagus, stomach, or small intestine and lead to peritonitis. Pennies swallowed in large numbers may cause zinc poisoning, which in dogs leads to severe gastroenteritis and hemolytic anemia. Linear foreign bodies can especially be dangerous. A linear foreign body is usually a length of string or yarn with a larger object or clump of material at either end. One end is usually lodged in the stomach or proximal small intestine and the other end continues to travel through the intestines. The material becomes tightly stretched and the intestines may "accordion up" on themselves or be lacerated by it. This is especially common in cats who may enjoy playing with a ball of string or yarn.