Lucky escape for dog Chico after chomping down six-inch bone
Vets saved the life of a dog who swallowed a six-inch bone whole - causing his x-rays to shown what appeared to be a spare rib.
Vets saved the life of a dog who swallowed a six-inch bone whole - causing his x-rays to shown what appeared to be a spare rib.
One-year-old Mastiff-type dog Chico wolfed down the cow rib bone in one and left vets astounded that he escaped injury.
Senior PDSA vet Susie Hermit said: "I've never seen an x-ray like it before, the position of the bone really did look like Chico had an extra rib.
"Amazingly, he'd managed to swallow the bone whole but didn't seem to be in any pain.
"However, we knew we had to carry out emergency surgery to remove it because it could have caused a life-threatening tear to his stomach or intestines."
Chico's owner, Craig Anderson, 41, from Newlands, Glasgow, bought the rib bone for his pet as a treat.
He said: "I thought if I supervised him it would be fine but he literally swallowed it in one mouthful.
"He seemed fine but I knew he wouldn't be able to digest it properly so I took him straight to PDSA.
"I was so worried while he was in the operating theatre. It's a miracle the bone didn't cause any damage.
"It goes without saying but I don't give bones to him any more after this. It's definitely a case of once bitten, twice shy."
Vets at the PDSA's Glasgow Shamrock Street pet hospital, where Chico was treated, warned owners against giving pets bones as they can cause digestive tract damage and blockages which require surgery and can be fatal.
Bones were the most common items removed from pets' stomachs by PDSA vets last year, with 59 cases seen. They also dealt with 29 cases involving corn on the cob and 28 pets swallowing stones.
The organisation is educating pet owners about inappropriate foods for their animals in a project funded by the People's Postcode Lottery.