4 August 2009An inquisitive puppy has survived after swallowing a 10.5-inch plastic arrow almost as long as herself.
Betty, a Staffordshire bull terrier, was forced to undergo emergency surgery to remove the arrow after it became lodged halfway through her body from the oesophagus to the small intestine.
Her owner Emma Watson, 38, from Swanley in Kent, believes her pet gobbled up the item after wandering into her seven-year-old daughter Lilly-Jay's playhouse when a gust of wind opened the door.
She recalled hearing coughing and spluttering and rushed in, but saw nothing untoward after the incident in May. However, the following day her pet, who is eight months old, began being sick and went off her food.
Miss Watson said: "Betty started to vomit and wasn't eating or drinking, which is totally unlike her. Normally she is very boisterous and playful but she was very quiet and didn't want to be around anyone, not even my daughter."
Betty was taken to Thamesmead PDSA PetAid hospital where she was X-rayed after vets identified an object lodged in her intestine.
Veterinary surgeon Chris Pollard, who operated on Betty at the charity's centre which provides free care for those in need, said: "The X-rays were surprising to say the least. The arrow was so long it virtually ran through Betty's body but it also explained why she was so ill.
"The main concern was the length of the arrow and where it ended - in the small intestine. This could have penetrated the stomach wall and proved fatal. We had to operate immediately. The operation proved incredibly intricate as Betty was so young and her internal organs were still not yet fully developed. We opened up the abdomen and made an incision in the stomach to pull the arrow out with great care. Considering Betty's size as a puppy, it really is amazing that she managed to swallow a 10.5 inch long arrow."
Betty was kept in overnight and fed tiny portions of food and water to ensure the stitches did not come apart.
Miss Watson added: "I simply can't believe what Betty did. She was so small and the arrow so long. I'm amazed that it was physically possible for her to swallow it. She doesn't appear to have learnt her lesson because as soon as she got home she tried to eat the TV remote control so we're keeping a very close eye on her now to prevent anything like this from happening again."
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20090804/tuk-puppy-alive-after-swallowing-arrow-6323e80.html
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