Feeling a little under par? Vets rush Poppy the Labrador into surgery after X-ray reveals 10 GOLF BALLS in her stomach
- Poppy the dog was rushed to surgery at a vets in Cupar, Fife earlier this month
- Now having recovered, nurse June Bulgowan said she is ‘very lucky to be alive’
- The dog’s owner has promised to keep walks away from the golf course in future
Published: 10:03 EDT, 19 June 2019 | Updated: 10:21 EDT, 19 June 2019
A Labrador is ‘extremely lucky to be alive’ after she was rushed to surgery having swallowed ten golf balls, a vet has said.
Poppy the Labrador, seven, had been vomiting and was taken to a vets in Cupar, Fife earlier this month feeling a ‘little under the weather’.
But when staff took an x-ray of her stomach, they soon discovered its shocking contents and rushed the pooch into surgery.
A lifesaving two-hour operation followed, as vets removed each golf ball one by one in a desperate bid to save poor Poppy.
Horrified vets in Cupar, Fife discovered ten golf balls inside the stomach of Poppy the dog. She was rushed into surgery after vets took an x-ray (pictured)
Poppy has now made a full-recovery, and is pictured earlier this week. Her owner has said walks be conducted further away from golf courses in future
‘It’s highly unusual to find that amount of items eaten by a dog, Poppy is extremely lucky to be alive,’ said June Bulgowan, head nurse at Wilson & Partners Veterinary Surgeons.
‘At first it just seemed Poppy was a little under the weather, having vomited, but once we had a feel of the dog it was clear something was wrong.
‘The x-ray revealed a lot of items in the dog’s stomach but even then it wasn’t exactly clear as to what the items were or how many were inside the dog.’
‘It wasn’t until we actually opened up the dog that the full extent of what we were dealing with came to light.’
Veterinary surgeon Ashleigh Rae carried out the procedure which left colleagues opened mouthed as golf ball after golf ball was removed.
The vets were left opened mouthed as golf ball after golf ball was removed (in white are golf balls blurred out due to blood). It was among a number of items in the stomach of Poppy the dog
Ms Bulgowan continued: ‘We couldn’t believe it, the balls just kept on coming.
‘It’s not unusual for dogs to eat items and I’ve had dogs before that have eaten two, or even three gold balls, but this is quite extraordinary. I’ve not seen anything like this before.
‘Peach stones, socks, pants and rocks are the most common items dogs eat, and during the summer months as barbecues become more popular we see a lot of dogs who have problems having eaten corn on the cobs.’
Seven-year-old Poppy spent two days recovering before being returned to its owner, who did not want to be identified but was relieved to have her beloved pet back.
The owner added walks will now be taken away from any golf courses in future.
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