Top 10 items swallowed by pets (including this one, who ate a corn on the cob - whole)

Twenty-eight pets needed treatment last year after swallowing corn on the cob, according to research from a vet charity.
By The Newsroom
Published 15th Jun 2016, 01:32 BST
Updated 25th Aug 2016, 16:33 BST
Hooch, an American Bulldog that underwent emergency surgery at PDSA's Bradford Pet Hospital after swallowing a corn on the cob huskHooch, an American Bulldog that underwent emergency surgery at PDSA's Bradford Pet Hospital after swallowing a corn on the cob husk
Hooch, an American Bulldog that underwent emergency surgery at PDSA's Bradford Pet Hospital after swallowing a corn on the cob husk

PDSA vets surgically removed a range of items including stones, babies’ dummies, socks and even kebab sticks.

The charity, which has 51 pet hospitals across the UK, compiled a top 10 list of items swallowed according to the number of cases, with bones requiring the most treatment.

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Among those who needed emergency surgery last year was Hooch the American Bulldog who ate a corn on the cob husk from his owner’s bin after she left home for work.

Hooch, an American Bulldog that underwent emergency surgery at PDSA's Bradford Pet Hospital after swallowing a corn on the cob huskHooch, an American Bulldog that underwent emergency surgery at PDSA's Bradford Pet Hospital after swallowing a corn on the cob husk
Hooch, an American Bulldog that underwent emergency surgery at PDSA's Bradford Pet Hospital after swallowing a corn on the cob husk

Mother-of-three Sarah Baldwin, 40, from Elland, near Halifax, said: “The next day he wasn’t himself at all

“He was sick, he wasn’t eating and didn’t want to walk. One of my sons had seen him finishing off the corn on the cob so we did a quick Google search and were horrified at how dangerous they can be for dogs.”

Hooch was kept at Bradford PDSA Hospital for two days before being discharged on pain relief and antibiotics. He has since gone on to make a full recovery.

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PDSA vet Rebecca Ashman said: “Pets, especially puppies and younger dogs, like to use their mouth to investigate objects as well as to eat. Sometimes a pet will swallow an item by mistake, even though they had only meant to investigate it.

Hooch, an American Bulldog that underwent emergency surgery at PDSA's Bradford Pet Hospital after swallowing a corn on the cob huskHooch, an American Bulldog that underwent emergency surgery at PDSA's Bradford Pet Hospital after swallowing a corn on the cob husk
Hooch, an American Bulldog that underwent emergency surgery at PDSA's Bradford Pet Hospital after swallowing a corn on the cob husk

“We might think it’s comical but in some cases it is incredibly dangerous and can even prove fatal. If an object moves along the digestive system, it can cause a tear or life-threatening blockage.

“If you have pets at home, try to keep anything dangerous or easy to swallow out of paws’ reach. Only let them play with suitable pet toys and try to supervise them to avoid any accidents. If you do suspect your pet has swallowed something you should contact your vet for advice immediately.”

Top 10 items swallowed by pets:

1 Bones (59 cases)

2 Stones (29)

3 Corn on the cob (28)

4 Plastic (25)

5= Rubber balls (19)

5= Rubber (19)

7 Socks (11)

8 Thread (9)

9 Babies’ dummy teats (9)

10= Kebab sticks (7)

10= Peach stones (7)

Related topics:Pets