Dog is Let Off the Hook - With its Life!




March 31, 2009 by PDSA



A
Shih Tzu puppy from Plymouth needed lifesaving treatment from PDSA
after swallowing potentially lethal fishing gear - hook, line and
sinker.
Four-month-month-old Oscar was left reel-ing after he and owner
Louise Northcott went for a dockside walk in the Mount Wise district of
Plymouth: “We were walking along the docks when Oscar came across
the remains of a fisherman’s mackerel catch, which had been left
on the quayside,” said Louise.
“Before I could react he had gulped some of it down. To my
horror, I quickly realised he had not only swallowed the fish but the
metal hook and a length of wire too.
“Within seconds Oscar was obviously in great pain and having
difficulty breathing. I could see the wire and tried to remove it, but
couldn’t. His breathing became more laboured and then he went
very quiet.
Now frantic with worry, Louise scooped Oscar up in her arms and with
the help of a friend rushed him to Plymouth PDSA PetAid hospital. It
was a race against time for PDSA veterinary staff to save Oscar’s
life. They took x-rays to discover where the fish hook and wire had
lodged internally and then decided on the quickest way to remove both,
without placing Oscar at greater risk.
PDSA Veterinary Surgeon Lily Cross, said: “It was very much a
race against time to prevent the hook travelling further and causing
more problems. We gave him a general anaesthetic and then set to
work!”
It proved to be an extremely complicated and lengthy task as the
fish hook had lodged in the oesophagus, (the food tube running from the
back of the mouth to the stomach).
Lily continued: “It was an incredibly delicate procedure. I
could see the hook lodged deep down in the throat but I didn’t
want to cause further damage to the oesophageal wall. We had to push,
twist and turn the hook around in various directions to get it
out.”
It took over one hour to get Oscar ‘off the hook’ but he
was given the all-clear soon after coming out of theatre and was sent
home the same day. The intrepid puppy has since bounced back from his
‘un-reel’ experience!
Owner Debra continued: “I am extremely grateful to PDSA for
saving Oscar’s life. It is still frightening to think how it
happened in a matter of seconds. He is my first ever pet and I have
realised from this how important his safety is.
Lily Cross added: “Dog owners may not always be aware of the
dangers when walking, particularly in areas such as the beach or
dockside areas. We urge owners to take extra care while out walking and
always seek veterinary advice if your pet is sick or injured.”
PDSA has produced a leaflet called Safety Outdoors which gives
owners advice and tips on how to keep their pets safe. The leaflet is
part of a series on Responsible Pet Care, which cover a variety of pet
care topics. The leaflets are available from PDSA PetAid hospitals and
PDSA charity shops nationwide or they can be downloaded from the PDSA
website, www.pdsa.org.uk.
http://www.dogmagazine.net/archives/2201/dog-is-let-off-the-hook-with-its-life/

There really was no need for the "reeling" jokes was there? :shutittt:

I'm glad he was ok, such a horrible thing to happen :love:

:thinking: i thought that too P the poor thing could of died :love:

i thought the same too, what was with the fishing puns :thinking:

thank goodness the dog was alright though :love: