A FAMILY has thanked an Aylesbury veterinary team for saving the life of their much-loved German Shepherd after she ate a sharp metal blade.
Two-year-old Mazikeen underwent emergency surgery at Hampden Veterinary Hospital after swallowing the blade from a craft knife.
The terrifying incident happened when Mazikeen’s owners Ryan and Amanda Geoghegan noticed the blade had vanished from a table used for crafting. They became suspicious that their pet had eaten it and took her to Hampden Vets’ 24-hour veterinary hospital in Anchor Lane.
Mazikeen was seen straight away, and an X-ray confirmed their worst fears as it showed the missing blade inside her stomach.
Thanks to the care, skills and expertise of the veterinary team, the blade was removed before it could cause Mazikeen internal injuries, and the much-loved pet has made a full recovery.
Vet Heidi Whieldon performed emergency surgery to remove it and said Mazikeen’s owners did the right thing by acting so quickly.
Heidi said: “Mazikeen’s owners brought her to us as soon as they suspected she’d eaten the blade, which meant we were able to remove it before it caused any damage. It was very sharp and if it had been left inside her any longer, it could have perforated her stomach or intestine and that would have been life-threatening.
“Mazikeen is a lucky dog because there was no damage to her mouth or throat from swallowing the blade, and some kibble she’d eaten was cushioning the blade and preventing it from touching the stomach lining. However, problems would have arisen once the stomach emptied of food or if the blade passed from the stomach and into the narrow intestine.
“We do see pets that have eaten sharp things, such as needles that have been swallowed accidentally because they thought the thread was fun to play with, or fish hooks that have been wolfed down with fish bait, but this is the first dog we’ve treated that swallowed a scalpel blade.
“Mazikeen caught her owners out by picking up something you’d not expect a dog to be interested in, but it’s always a good idea to put harmful items well out of reach when pets are around, especially if they have a tendency to chew things. If you do suspect your dog has eaten something they shouldn’t have, call your vet so they can advise you of the best course of action.”
After spending the night at Hampden Vets under close observation by the team, Mazikeen was able to return home to Kingsbrook the following day.
Mr Geoghegan said: “Mazikeen is a typical young dog that enjoys playing with things and is very inquisitive, but we never expected her to pick up a knife and chew it, especially as it was high up on the table. She even managed to remove the blade from the handle before swallowing it.
“At the time, we weren’t 100 per cent sure Mazikeen had eaten it, but she’s very special to us and we didn’t want to just wait and see if she became unwell, so we took her to the vets to get her checked out. This proved to be the right decision.
“The team at Hampden Vets was brilliant and we’re very grateful for the exceptional care they gave to Mazikeen. She can be sensitive in stressful situations, but they were very calm and looked after her so well. We’re now being extra vigilant at home and any crafting tools are being kept safely out of the way.”
Hampden Vets prides itself on delivering the highest level of care to pets in Aylesbury and the surrounding areas. Its small animal hospital benefits from state-of-the-art facilities and offers a wide range of services, including diagnostics, exotic pet care, advanced orthopaedic surgery and preventative healthcare. It also has surgeries at Haddenham, Elm Farm and Watermead and branches specialising in equine and farm animal care.