Successful manual laceration of benign rectal stenosis in a dog with perianal fistulas

Abstract An 11‐year‐old, entire, male dog was presented with symptoms of tenesmus and diagnosed with severe rectal stenosis, which had developed, while the dog was left untreated for perianal fistulas that had persisted for 6 months. A rectal exam revealed a stenotic lesion, which was confirmed by colonoscopy. A computed tomography scan confirmed the presence of severe faecal impaction. Given the existing faecal obstruction, rapid dilation of the stenosis was necessary. The bougienage technique was unsuccessful. Manual laceration of the stenotic tissue was thus performed using both index fingers without complications. An excellent short‐term response was observed, with no recurrence noted 1 year after initiating immunomodulatory treatment. Balloon dilation remains the most frequent intervention for the management of benign rectal strictures. However, manual laceration has not been described previously as a management approach for these strictures. The goal of this article is to describe this novel technique and its safety. The clinical signs, differential diagnoses, diagnostic options and therapeutic approaches for benign rectal stenosis are also discussed.