A DOG owner has praised a veterinary team for saving the life of her beloved Labrador, who suffered a dangerous blockage in her intestine after chewing up a teddy bear.
Three-year-old Nelly was rushed to Calweton Veterinary Group in Callington, Cornwall, by worried owner Jessica Shinn when her pet became unwell and started vomiting.
Nelly had been staying in Hampshire with Jessica’s parents while she was on holiday and had ripped up a teddy bear toy designed for dogs. They thought all the material she’d swallowed had passed through her, but when Jessica went to collect Nelly, her pet had started showing signs of being unwell.
Back home in Cornwall, Nelly kept being sick and stopped eating, so Jessica took her to Calweton Veterinary Group, which is part of VetPartners.
Nelly was examined and had abdominal X-rays taken, which didn’t reveal anything of immediate concern. She was taken into theatre when she didn’t respond to medical treatment.
Veterinary surgeon Michelle Broderick, who is the practice’s small animal Clinical Director, said that during the one-hour operation they discovered one of the teddy bear’s ears was to blame for making Nelly unwell.
Michelle said: “The ear was stuck in the jejunum, the middle section of Nelly’s small intestines, and the problem it caused could have been life-threatening. If we hadn’t performed surgery, the intestine would have become necrotic, putting Nelly at risk of peritonitis, which is inflammation of the abdominal cavity, and possibly sepsis.
“The ear became stuck because of its size, while the smaller pieces of material she’d swallowed had been able to travel through. After removing the offending object, I carefully examined Nelly’s entire gastrointestinal tract, from her stomach to her colon, and there were no obvious signs of any other teddy bear parts.”
Michelle is now urging other owners to choose toys carefully for their dog and added: “Some soft toys that are sold as safe dog toys are not, and it’s always important to supervise your dog when they are playing with anything that can be ripped or chewed. If they need something to do when left on their own, you can buy tough chew toys that can be stuffed with liver paste or other foods, which are designed to be left with your dog.”
Due to the serious damage caused by the blockage, after the surgery Nelly suffered from a condition caused ileus, where the intestines stop moving. It meant her recovery took longer, but after receiving round-the-clock care she is now home with Jessica and back to her normal self.
Jessica said: “I am so grateful to Michelle and the team at Calweton Vets for looking after Nelly so well and for saving her life. Nelly likes playing with toys and doesn’t usually chew them but on this occasion, she ate half of the teddy bear. I can only think that she was feeling a bit anxious because I was away and she was in a different environment.
“At first, she seemed fine and some of the toy she’d eaten passed through her naturally, so we assumed all was OK. Then, she started vomiting and I took her to the vets to get her checked out and I’m so glad I did.
“I bought the teddy bear from a pet shop and thought it would be safe for her to play with, but I’m going to be much more careful choosing toys in the future.”
Calweton Veterinary Group provides care to small animals and livestock across Devon and Cornwall and has surgeries for small pets in Callington, Looe and Saltash.
Article by Jo Browne, PR & Communications manager (South), email: [email protected]