Warning after puppy swallowed whole tennis ball

An 11-months-old puppy that swallowed a tennis ball is recovering after being saved by the vets. The Dogue De Bordeaux called Zeus, of Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, was enjoying a run on the beach when he spotted another dog playing with the ball. Zeus made a grab for it and accidentally gulped it down.

A couple of days later Zeus had gone off his food and started being sick, so worried owner Richard Waugh, 53, rushed him to Gateshead PDSA Pet Hospital. Vets there took X-rays to determine where the ball was and decided emergency surgery was needed, as he had become dangerously ill. Gateshead PDSA senior vet, Catriona Atkinson, said: “Without surgery, it is highly likely that Zeus would have died.
“As with all major operations, there are risks, but it was the only option.” Emergency surgery was carried out and the tennis ball was removed intact. Zeus’s operation went “extremely well” and he was kept in overnight for observation. He quickly bounced back to health, and has returned to his lovable self. Mr Waugh said: “Zeus is a big softie and loves meeting other dogs while out on walks.
“I couldn’t believe it when he swallowed the ball.” This was the second time that Zeus had wolfed down a ball. When he was four-months-old, he found a discarded ball in the park, but nature took its course. The PDSA is urging pet owners to think twice about letting their dogs play with tennis balls, as every year the charity treats cases – ranging from broken teeth and eye injuries to intestinal blockages.