Vet’s warning to dog owners after saving 10-week-old puppy who ate a stone

A young Labrador was rushed to the vets after swallowing a sharp piece of flint stone while playing in the garden with his family.

The 10-week-old puppy, who had swallowed a spiky stone, was operated on by veterinary surgeon Lauren Emsden and stayed over at the Village Vet on Berkhamsted High Street.

Lauren is now using this case to warn other dog owners about the dangers of their pets swallowing sharp objects, especially breeds which are known for trying to eat things they shouldn’t.

She said: “It was a particularly nasty, jagged piece of stone which left untreated could have caused problems for Stanley further down the line. It’s why we’d always recommend that owners seek expert veterinary help if they’re worried their pet has swallowed something they shouldn’t have.”

Stanley is none the worse for wear thanks to the quick intervention by Lauren and her team at Village Vet.

The veterinary surgeon took an X-ray to diagnose the foreign body which she removed by carrying out surgery on the puppy’s stomach.

Lauren said: “We’re pleased to say Stanley’s issue was quite straightforward to deal with and had no complications. While Stanley’s retching was a common side effect, unusually he wasn’t sick at all and was an otherwise completely healthy and happy patient.”

She added: “Happily, Stanley’s owners brought him in quickly and after 24 hours in hospital and a week of rest at home, he’s back to his normal, bouncy self.”