Gastric dilatation and volvulus in a capybara (<i>Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris</i>, Linnaeus, 1766)

Abstract Gastric torsion has been described in several species, but this is the first documented case in a capybara. An entire, 6‐year‐old, female capybara was found dead in the indoor enclosure of the zoo in the morning. Pathological examinations revealed a large, bloated stomach upon opening the abdominal cavity. The gas‐filled caecum and some sections of the small intestines were located in front of the stomach. The stomach was rotated 360° clockwise. The blood vessels of the stomach were dilated, and the mucus showed signs of necrosis. The cardia, affected by the volvulus, was livid and an ischaemic ring was visible. Histopathological examination also showed signs characteristic of gastric torsion. The lack of symptoms before death, the sudden and rapid onset, the pathological finding of the 360° rotated stomach and the histopathological findings confirm the animal died of a gastric torsion and its consequences.