Dogs are a gift to this world that few things compare with. Devoted, caring and loyal to a fault, our four-legged friends bring so much joy to our lives that it’s distressing to think of them down or in pain.
A traumatized couple are now warning other dog owners about the risks involved in leaving your pet unattended, after their dog’s tongue was almost cut in half from getting stuck in a rubber ball.
Images released by Helen and James Hartley, the loving owners of Poppy, show huge chunks of the dog’s tongue missing after the tissue turned necrotic due to restricted blood flow.
Warning *** Graphic images
Helen and James are said to have returned from work earlier this month to discover that Poppy had her tongue stuck in the air hole of her rubber ball.
They managed to get the ball out of her mouth, but then realized Poppy was behaving strangely. They took her to a veterinary clinic as a precaution, where nurses spotted that the front half of Poppy’s tongue was swollen. There was also a red line showing where the ball had affected blood flow.
The following week saw the red line gradually become bruising, which took on a foul smell and began to further change color. The tissue then became necrotic and died, leaving Poppy with two chunks missing from either side of her tongue.
Poppy’s tongue was stitched back together by vets, but they want to share the images in a bid to promote awareness.
A Foxhall Veterinary Clinic spokesperson said: “The surgery was successful and our nurses couldn’t believe it when Poppy ate and drank as soon as she woke up.
“We’re happy to report that Poppy’s tongue has pretty much healed now, she is using her tongue normally to drink and can still give plenty of kisses. The stitches are in place but will eventually dissolve.
“We’ve all grown very attached to Poppy here at Foxhall and we will miss her daily visits. Poppy’s owners wanted us to share her story to highlight the dangers of leaving your dog unattended with toys, no matter how innocent they seem.”
Wow! I’ll certainly be keeping a closer eye on my dog when he plays with toys in the future.
Please share this article so others can read about what is obviously something all owners must know!
