Diesel the dog has emergency surgery after swallowing baby's bottle teat

A dog has undergone emergency surgery after swallowing a baby's bottle teat.
Undated handout photo issued by the PDSA of an x-ray of Diesel the dog showing a baby's bottle teat in his stomachUndated handout photo issued by the PDSA of an x-ray of Diesel the dog showing a baby's bottle teat in his stomach
Undated handout photo issued by the PDSA of an x-ray of Diesel the dog showing a baby's bottle teat in his stomach

Diesel, a Staffordshire bull terrier, was taken to a vet after refusing his food and becoming very lethargic.

An X-ray showed the greedy dog had wolfed down the teat which belonged to owner Paula Balint’s baby grandson.

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Ms Balint, 40, said: “The vets said they would need to do some X-rays. I couldn’t believe it when they told me that he’d swallowed a baby bottle teat.

Undated handout photo issued by the PDSA of Diesel the dog who has made a full recovery after he swallowed a baby's bottle teat. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Tuesday June 27, 2017. An X-ray showed the greedy dog had wolfed down the teat which belonged to owner Paula Balint's baby grandson. See PA story ANIMALS Dog. Photo credit should read: Phil Rees/PDSA/PA Wire

NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.Undated handout photo issued by the PDSA of Diesel the dog who has made a full recovery after he swallowed a baby's bottle teat. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Tuesday June 27, 2017. An X-ray showed the greedy dog had wolfed down the teat which belonged to owner Paula Balint's baby grandson. See PA story ANIMALS Dog. Photo credit should read: Phil Rees/PDSA/PA Wire

NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Undated handout photo issued by the PDSA of Diesel the dog who has made a full recovery after he swallowed a baby's bottle teat. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Tuesday June 27, 2017. An X-ray showed the greedy dog had wolfed down the teat which belonged to owner Paula Balint's baby grandson. See PA story ANIMALS Dog. Photo credit should read: Phil Rees/PDSA/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.

“It must have been from one of my grandson Ozzy’s bottles, but I don’t know where Diesel found it.”

Vets at the PDSA Pet Hospital in Swansea performed emergency surgery to remove the teat before it caused a fatal blockage.

Senior vet Eleri Laine said: “It was very serious because Diesel was so unwell, and we knew we had to act fast before he became extremely poorly.

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“He received treatment through our A&E service, which has received fantastic funding support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, and thankfully he made a full recovery.”

Undated handout photo issued by the PDSA of Diesel the dog who has made a full recovery after he swallowed a baby's bottle teat. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Tuesday June 27, 2017. An X-ray showed the greedy dog had wolfed down the teat which belonged to owner Paula Balint's baby grandson. See PA story ANIMALS Dog. Photo credit should read: Phil Rees/PDSA/PA Wire

NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.Undated handout photo issued by the PDSA of Diesel the dog who has made a full recovery after he swallowed a baby's bottle teat. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Tuesday June 27, 2017. An X-ray showed the greedy dog had wolfed down the teat which belonged to owner Paula Balint's baby grandson. See PA story ANIMALS Dog. Photo credit should read: Phil Rees/PDSA/PA Wire

NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Undated handout photo issued by the PDSA of Diesel the dog who has made a full recovery after he swallowed a baby's bottle teat. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Tuesday June 27, 2017. An X-ray showed the greedy dog had wolfed down the teat which belonged to owner Paula Balint's baby grandson. See PA story ANIMALS Dog. Photo credit should read: Phil Rees/PDSA/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.

Ms Balint, from Port Talbot, said she had a number of baby bottles in the house because she often looks after her young grandson.

“Diesel must have found a teat on the floor or something and he’s wolfed it down whole. I’m now really careful not to leave things lying around,” she said.

Apart from baby bottle teats, Diesel also has a soft spot for people’s shoes, which he likes to chew when no-one is looking.

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PDSA vets say dogs often like to use their mouth to investigate objects as well as to eat and sometimes a pet will swallow an item by mistake.

It is known as “pica” and can prove very dangerous. Objects can cause a problem in the stomach but when they move out of the stomach and in to the intestines they can become stuck, causing a life-threatening tear or blockage.

PDSA vets recommend training pets to play with safe toys from a young age which helps to curb their temptation to chew other objects, as well as teaching basic commands like “drop” and “leave”.