Study supports image-guided NG tube checks in dogs and cats

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A new retrospective study in the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care evaluated a standardized, image-guided nasogastric tube placement protocol in 582 dogs and cats and found it prevented inappropriate airway placement in 99.8% of cases when clinicians used radiographic verification at the thoracic inlet and last rib. The protocol also identified initial tracheal placement in 9.8% of cases, underscoring how often misdirection can occur before confirmation. The paper adds to a growing body of work around safer enteral tube placement in small animal practice, including newer radiographic guidance tools designed to improve interpretation of tube position in dogs and cats. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

Why it matters: For veterinary teams, the takeaway is straightforward: blind confidence in tube placement isn’t enough. Prior research has shown respiratory misplacement can occur even when other bedside checks seem reassuring, and a 2024 randomized trial found radiography remained the reference standard because no point-of-care technique was fully concordant with thoracic imaging. Separate outcome data in dogs with tracheobronchial misplacement-associated pneumothorax highlight how serious these errors can become. In that context, a protocol that catches nearly 1 in 10 initial tracheal placements before use is highly relevant for emergency, critical care, and inpatient teams managing anorexic or critically ill patients. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

What to watch: Expect more discussion around how standardized radiographic checklists and image-guided protocols can be integrated into general practice and ER workflows, especially as newer 2026 radiographic guidelines gain traction. (vetsurgeon.org)