A four-year old Staffordshire Bull Terrier left PDSA vet floored after they discovered a piece of carpet lodged in his stomach.
Curious canine Buster needed life-saving surgery after biting off more than he could chew and swallowing a prime piece of rug in the process. 
Buster’s owner, Jamie-Leigh Richardson from Preston suspected something was wrong when the usually playful pooch seemed weak and went off his food. When his condition didn’t improve, she took him to Blackpool PDSA Pet Hospital.
The charity’s vets were surprised when x-rays revealed such a big mass in his tummy. After rushing him into surgery to remove the potentially fatal object, they discovered it was a piece of carpet that was lodged in his stomach and guts.
Jamie-Leigh said: “Buster is usually full of beans, so I was really worried when he wasn’t acting himself. Instead of running around the house and playing with the children, he was out of sorts and down in the dumps. Buster has a big appetite, but I was so shocked when the vet showed us the piece of carpet following surgery.”
Left untreated, the carpet could have caused a fatal blockage or tears in the guts. PDSA Vet Jennifer Jackson was able to carry out the successful operation and Buster was discharged a few days later after rest and recovery.
PDSA Vet Jennifer Jackson said: “We see dogs that eat strange things all the time, but I can’t say I have ever had to remove a piece of carpet before. Objects can sometimes sit in the stomach for a while, but they cause problems when they move into the guts, which are much narrower. It was a good job Jamie-Leigh brought Buster in when she did. He’d eaten huge amounts of carpet which could have had deadly consequences if any more had tried to move into his guts.”
Jamie-Leigh added: “Buster is such a big part of the family, and none of us could bear to lose him. He has made a great recovery and is back to his energetic best. This was my first experience with PDSA, and I cannot praise Jennifer and the rest of the team enough, they are worth their weight in gold.”
According to PDSA, dogs can be naturally curious and like to use their mouths to investigate objects. This is more common with puppies and younger dogs, but some older pets can sometimes swallow items by mistake.
This can be quite dangerous, as many items could cause a gut blockage, and some 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.
For further information including signs and symptoms to look out for if you think your pet might have eaten something they shouldn’t you can visit www.pdsa.org.uk.
