Jumpers’ has chewed the soles out of shoes since she was a few months old. But the chews became chomps, then dangerous swallows. Adding to her foreign object menu she ate balls, tea towels, socks, undies and once, she lunged for a jock strap someone had dropped on the road, carried it proudly all the way home where she digested it whole.
Mostly these items emerged in her poo, occasionally she vomited. Then, one morning there was little jumping, her eyes tight shut and only an effort full and sombre body turning in the bed. Jumpers’ regular clownish roll or crazed rush to the food bowl was replaced with corpse like stillness. We drove to SASH and after an immediate windmill tail display of relief, she fell into the arms of a vet. They took her for observation, advised an ultrasound which found viscous material almost wrapped around her intestines.
Within hours she was operated on and within hours her life was saved.
I’d like to say a happy ending but no, we return to SASH too often to have her vomit up objects; recently part of a supposedly indestructible dog bed. Yet, the care of the SASH team, who know her by name and history, ensure this ongoimg process of dog care is without blame or shame for the owner and constant concern for the dog’s future.
If it wasn’t for SASH I, as owner, would have rolled over, howled with desperation on the doorstep of a re homing center and given up so sadly on my dog and my dog precious dreams.
