Quin, a beautiful year old Golden Retriever, has a bad habit. He, like many of his canine colleagues, likes to eat things you might not expect. Yesterday, we removed a sponge from his stomach, using a videoendoscope, sparing him surgery.
Sponges can be quite dangerous since they fail to show up on traditional x-rays. Sponges also easily obstruct the intestines. Dogs have died from ingesting sponges, rupturing their intestines, quickly succumbing the rapid shock and infection.
But not Quin! He has great owners who watch him closely, and seek medical care when he needs it. We removed the sponge without a single incision, piecing together while in surgery with a "normal" to make sure we got it all. No doubt that several of the large pieces would have caused a big problem.
Quin left VACC today looking and feeling great!
