Pomme de Terrier: spud-loving Angus bites off more than he can chew
Published: 19 July 2009
A spud-loving Norfolk terrier bit off more than he could chew after swallowing a whole potato which got wedged in his stomach.
A spud-loving Norfolk terrier bit off more than he could chew after swallowing a whole potato which got wedged in his stomach.
Seven-year old Angus gobbled the vegetable when it was tossed to him by his owner John Telfer at their home in Lanark. The Jersey Royal potato had been left over from the previous evening’s chicken salad dinner.
But Angus, who also suffers from a blood disorder which causes anaemia, became ill shortly after and was vomiting for several days. John and his wife Jean took their pet to the vet who initially thought the sickness was a side-effect of the medication Angus had been given for his illness.
However, when his condition worsened the vet sent him immediately to the Small Animal Hospital at the University of Glasgow for emergency treatment.
It was there that veterinary specialist Rory Bell x-rayed and performed an ultra-sound scan on Angus which revealed a mysterious lump in his stomach. It wasn’t until surgeon Kathryn Pratschke operated on Angus that the potato was found wedged at the exit of his stomach.
After removing the offending item Angus made a full recovery.
Angus’s owner Jean Telfer said: “We’d had chicken salad for dinner the previous night and there had been some potatoes left over.
“Angus is a greedy wee dog and so John had tossed him a cooked potato and it appears to have gone straight down his throat without him chewing. It’s not really surprising actually as he is always chomping his food down and it barely touches the sides of his throat.
“When he started being sick we were quite worried but assumed it was the drugs he is taking for his blood disorder. Thankfully he is now feeling much better though I think he is still in a huff with us for taking him to the vet as he had to have his tummy shaved.
“We’ll still let him eat potatoes but in future we’ll mash them up first.”
Dr Ian Ramsey, Director of the Small Animal Hospital, said: “It is unusual for dogs to get potatoes stuck in their stomachs but the specialists we have here at the University are skilled at dealing with a whole range of situations – often quite bizarre as in this case – but Angus is a very lucky dog.”
A new £10 million state-of-the art Small Animal Hospital at the University’s Garscube Estate is due to open later this year which will further enhance provision for pet owners in the West of Scotland and beyond.
Seven-year old Angus gobbled the vegetable when it was tossed to him by his owner John Telfer at their home in Lanark. The Jersey Royal potato had been left over from the previous evening’s chicken salad dinner.
But Angus, who also suffers from a blood disorder which causes anaemia, became ill shortly after and was vomiting for several days. John and his wife Jean took their pet to the vet who initially thought the sickness was a side-effect of the medication Angus had been given for his illness.
However, when his condition worsened the vet sent him immediately to the Small Animal Hospital at the University of Glasgow for emergency treatment.
It was there that veterinary specialist Rory Bell x-rayed and performed an ultra-sound scan on Angus which revealed a mysterious lump in his stomach. It wasn’t until surgeon Kathryn Pratschke operated on Angus that the potato was found wedged at the exit of his stomach.
After removing the offending item Angus made a full recovery.
Angus’s owner Jean Telfer said: “We’d had chicken salad for dinner the previous night and there had been some potatoes left over.
“Angus is a greedy wee dog and so John had tossed him a cooked potato and it appears to have gone straight down his throat without him chewing. It’s not really surprising actually as he is always chomping his food down and it barely touches the sides of his throat.
“When he started being sick we were quite worried but assumed it was the drugs he is taking for his blood disorder. Thankfully he is now feeling much better though I think he is still in a huff with us for taking him to the vet as he had to have his tummy shaved.
“We’ll still let him eat potatoes but in future we’ll mash them up first.”
Dr Ian Ramsey, Director of the Small Animal Hospital, said: “It is unusual for dogs to get potatoes stuck in their stomachs but the specialists we have here at the University are skilled at dealing with a whole range of situations – often quite bizarre as in this case – but Angus is a very lucky dog.”
A new £10 million state-of-the art Small Animal Hospital at the University’s Garscube Estate is due to open later this year which will further enhance provision for pet owners in the West of Scotland and beyond.
For more information contact Stuart Forsyth in the University of Glasgow Media Relations Office on 0141 330 4831 or email s.forsyth@admin.gla.ac.uk
First published: 19 July 2009
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