Pune: Items like plastic ice-cream spoon, thrown casually around, can be damaging and deadly for animals.
A case in this regard was noticed in Pune where a 12-week-old pup swallowed a plastic ice-cream spoon and suffered for days.
The pet Golden Retriever ‘Nora’ was unable to eat and developed ulcers due to the spoon stuck in the stomach.
It got relief and could resume normal life only after a team of Vet doctors from Pune Small Animal Clinic, led by Dr. Narendra Pardeshi, successfully removed the item.
“On arrival in an emergency, the pup was weak, pale, had ulcers in the stomach, and couldn’t eat anything,” said Dr Pardeshi.
The team of doctors performed gastroscopy on the animal, putting in a long flexible tube called gastroscope or endoscope which has a tiny camera and light.
The spoon, once located in the stomach, was removed with the help of a forceps passed through the gastroscope instrument, he said.
The non-invasive procedure lasted 45 minutes and the pup was discharged the same day.
“Not treating the pup at the right time could have led to bleeding,” he said.
Noting that plastic is not digestible, the doctor said it would not break in the dog’s stomach and could be life threatening.
After the successful treatment, the pup has started eating again and has resumed her day-to-day life with ease, Dr Pardeshi said.
