A Staffordshire Bull Terrier who swallowed a kitchen knife has been saved after undergoing emergency surgery.
When Macie fell sick and started choking after swallowing the eight-inch knife, her owner Irene Paisley rushed the puppy to the PDSA’s emergency out-of-hours vet service.
“Macie was making a squeaking sound – I thought she’d swallowed part of a toy,” Irene, from Glasgow, said. “Then she was sick, but there was no sign of a toy and she started choking.
“I was terrified. Poor Macie was still choking and, by the time we arrived at the vet’s, there was blood coming out of her nose. The loss of our previous dog was still very raw and the thought of losing Macie was devastating.”
Macie underwent X-rays and the vets found the knife handle had passed through Macie’s stomach and into her intestines. The tip of the knife was still in her gullet.
She was taken to surgery straight away, and underwent a successful procedure. Macie was then transferred to the PDSA Pet Hospital in Shamrock Street to recover.
PDSA vet Emily Ronald said: “I’ve never seen an X-ray like Macie’s. She was extremely lucky to survive.
“Her saving grace was that she swallowed the handle-end first – the blade-end would undoubtedly have pierced her organs, likely causing fatal injuries.
“The morning after surgery, she was bouncing all over the place as if nothing had happened. Macie has been back for frequent check-ups over the past two weeks and we’re pleased she’s recovering and healing well.”
Irene said neither she nor her family knew how Macie came in contact with the knife.
She said: “I couldn’t believe it when they said Macie had swallowed a knife. I have no idea where she got hold of it – she could have pinched it out of the dishwasher, but no-one saw what happened. None of us could sleep that night as we knew Macie might not survive.
“Although she’s only young, Macie is already a big part of the family. She brings us so much joy and happiness, and means the world to the children. Without the PDSA, she wouldn’t have received her life-saving treatment and wouldn’t be here today.”
It is quite common for dogs to use their mouths to investigate objects. And sometimes they can swallow an item by mistake – a behaviour which the vets call ‘pica’.
The PDSA says their vets have removed bizarre objects such as pegs, golf balls, radio aerials and rubber ducks during surgery in the past.
