Peritonitis

• Peritonitis is inflammation of the peritoneal cavity and is most commonly the result of gastrointestinal rupture, perforation, or dehiscence in small animals. • Clinical signs in patients with peritonitis may be mild to severe and are often nonspecific. • Abdominocentesis is the preferred diagnostic method for confirming peritonitis. • When abdominal fluid cytology reveals degenerative neutrophils and intracellular bacteria, confirming a diagnosis of septic peritonitis, emergency surgical exploration of the abdomen is indicated. • Open peritoneal drainage or closed suction drainage should be considered for management of septic peritonitis in which the source of contamination cannot be controlled completely, or if significant contamination or inflammation remains after surgical debridement and lavage. • Prognosis is guarded for patients with peritonitis. Reported survival rates are highly variable and depend on the cause, presence of infection, and development of systemic inflammatory response syndrome and/or organ dysfunction.