Pup (with) a sock in it

18 September 2019

Lost sock almost cost puppy his life

A six-month-old puppy called Rocky needed lifesaving surgery after our vets discovered he had swallowed an entire sock.

Owner Maxine Holliday (53), from Bristol, noticed her Labrador puppy was unwell when he started vomiting and couldn’t keep food or water down.

“I was so worried about him,” said Maxine. “He was unable to eat or drink and I thought he might die.”

Rocky was admitted for tests, with x-rays revealing a foreign object causing an obstruction in his gut. However it was unclear from the images exactly what the young pup had swallowed.

PDSA Vet Manolo Hervada-Gonzalez said: “X-rays showed that Rocky had a blockage in his intestines, which if left would rupture, making him seriously ill. He needed emergency surgery to remove the obstruction before that happened. We regularly see pets who have accidentally eaten things they shouldn’t have, and surprisingly socks are quite a common cause of blockages.”

Maxine added: “I was really shocked to learn they had found a whole sock inside Rocky. I have no idea where he got it from, but I’ll be keeping a really close eye on him in future.”

Following an hour-long operation to remove the lost sock, Rocky spent the night recovering at the out-of-hours service, VetsNow. The following day he was reunited with a relieved and thankful Maxine, and was sent home with painkillers and antibiotics to continue his recovery.

“PDSA were really brilliant,” said Maxine. “I’m so grateful they saved Rocky’s life, I don’t know what I would have done without them.”

Rocky has now fully recovered, and is back to his normal self, bouncing around and playing with Maxine’s grandchildren.

Vet Manolo added: “Pets, especially puppies and younger dogs, are naturally curious and like to use their mouths to investigate objects. Sometimes, a pet will swallow an item by mistake, but this can be dangerous, as many items could cause a gut blockage like Rocky’s, and some objects might also be toxic or sharp.”

Owners are advised to speak to their vet for advice as soon as possible if they suspect their pet has eaten something they shouldn’t have.

Would you know what to do in an emergency? We have together a free downloadable pet first aid guide on what to do should you find your pet an in emergency situation or accident.