Pets swallow the strangest things

Nearly 400 pets were treated after eating items they shouldn’t have in the organisation’s 51 Pet Hospitals.

It appears that pets in Bradford are the most curious in the country, as vets there saw a whopping 33 cases in the city alone.

PDSA vet Rebecca Ashman said staff have also removed more bizarre objects in the past, from tent pegs and knives to radio aerials.

Rebecca said: “You’d be amazed at some of the crazy things pets eat. Our top ten list highlights the objects we saw most frequently last year, but every now and again we see even more unusual cases.”

“Thanks to funding from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, we’re educating pet owners about the phenomenon of pets eating strange objects – known as ‘pica’ - and how to keep their animals’ safe.

Rebecca added: “Pets, especially puppies and younger dogs, like to use their mouth to investigate objects as well as to eat. Sometimes a pet will swallow an item by mistake, even though they had only meant to investigate it.

“We might think it’s comical but in some cases it is incredibly dangerous and can even prove fatal. If an object moves along the digestive system, it can cause a tear or life-threatening blockage.

“If you have pets at home, try to keep anything dangerous or easy to swallow out of paws’ reach. Only let them play with suitable pet toys and try to supervise them to avoid any accidents. If you do suspect your pet has swallowed something you should contact your vet for advice immediately.”

Top items that pets love to swallow

Bones – 59 cases

Stones – 29 cases

Corn on the cob – 28 cases

Plastic e.g. parts of kids toys, food wrapping – 25 cases

Rubber balls – 19 cases

Rubber e.g. parts of dog toys – 19 cases

Socks – 11 cases