Little Dog Swallows BIG Arrow

PDSA vets saved the life of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier puppy who swallowed a full-length plastic arrow, measuring 10.5 inches, almost as long as the puppy herself!

Betty had a ‘ruff’ time after undergoing emergency surgery at Thamesmead PDSA PetAid hospital to remove the arrow which had lodged halfway through her body from the oesophagus to the small intestine.

Owner Emma Watson (38) from Swanley in Kent believes it happened when she saw Betty disappear into her daughter’s playhouse one day. She heard coughing and spluttering and rushed in but saw nothing untoward. Betty came out and ate and drank as normal that day.

It was on the following day that she started to become seriously ill. “Betty started to vomit and wasn’t eating or drinking, which is totally unlike her. Normally she is very boisterous and playful but she was very quiet and didn’t want to be around anyone, not even my daughter Lilly Jay, (9). said Emma.

After two days when Betty nearly collapsed, she was taken to Thamesmead PDSA PetAid hospital where vets got straight to work. They realised that Betty had swallowed something as they could feel an object lodged in her intestine! She was x-rayed to locate the exact positioning and to check for any other problems.

Veterinary Surgeon Chris Pollard, who operated on Betty, said: “The x-rays were surprising to say the least. The arrow was so long it virtually ran through Betty’s body but it also explained why she was so ill. The main concern was the length of the arrow and where it ended – in the small intestine. This could have penetrated the stomach wall and proved fatal. We had to operate immediately.”

Betty remained in theatre for over an hour.

“The operation proved incredibly intricate as Betty was so young and her internal organs were still not yet fully developed. We opened up the abdomen and made an incision in the stomach to pull the arrow out with great care. Considering Betty’s size as a puppy, it really is amazing that she managed to swallow a 10.5 inch long arrow!”

Betty was kept in overnight by PDSA to monitor her progress. She was fed tiny portions of food and water to ensure the stitches did not come apart and by the following morning appeared to have fully recovered when staff discovered she had chewed through her IV line!

Emma continued said: “I simply can’t believe what Betty did. She was so small and the arrow so long; I’m amazed that it was physically possible for her to swallow it. She doesn’t appear to have learnt her lesson because as soon she got home she tried to eat the TV remote control so we’re keeping a very close eye on her now to prevent anything like this from happening again.”

Vet Chris Pollard adds: “We see many accidents like Betty’s easily happen especially in younger animals because they’re so inquisitive. The best overall advice is prevention so pet owners should identify and eliminate any potential dangers in their homes.”

For further information visit the PDSA website www.pdsa.org.uk.

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