A springer spaniel needed life-saving surgery after a simple game of fetch with her owner went wrong and a 30cm stick became dangerously lodged her in throat. Nicola Botham threw twigs and branches for her beloved pet dog Sammie after forgetting her ball on their daily walk.
But their fun turned into near-tragedy when disaster struck and the 11-year-old pooch swallowed the lengthy twig, which reached as far as her shoulders. Luckily vets were able to operate and remove the dangerous piece of wood, but Nicola has vowed never to throw another stick for Sammie again.
She said: “I had stupidly forgotten the ball and Sammie just kept running back and forth wanting me to play, so I threw a stick for her. We were lucky, but I want to warn other dog owners about the dangers of throwing sticks – I will never throw one again.
