A mischievous Cocker Spaniel puppy was blissfully unaware of what lay ahead when he found a tube of superglue in a bin at home.
But he soon found himself in a sticky situation when he began chewing on the packet and managed to cement his mouth shut. The 20-week-old pup was rushed to the vets when his owner Cali Coulson, who had been tidying up at the time, noticed Bleu's predicament.
And luckily for Bleu, the team at Vets4Pets Bedlington managed to free him, using a basic kitchen cupboard essential. Thanks to some quick thinking from Practice Owner and Veterinary Surgeon, Dr Robert Dorward, the glue was removed with minimal fuss using swabs soaked in olive oil to gently dissolve all the glue from Bleu's lips, teeth and tongue.
The vet team first sedated Bleu in order to treat him safely and prevent him from becoming distressed. Once Bleu was sedated, vets were able to assess the back of his throat and airways to ensure no glue had been swallowed.
After 20 minutes under sedation while the procedure was carried out, Bleu came around as if nothing had happened and was discharged with minimal aftercare needed, just advice to his owner to monitor him closely and feed him a soft diet.
Dr Robert Dorward, Practice Owner and Veterinary Surgeon at Vets4Pets Bedlington, said: "Bleu was a very lucky puppy as superglue can be very dangerous if swallowed. Thankfully, he was brought in to us quickly and I was able to draw on knowledge from an emergency medicine course, to immediately use olive oil to remove the glue from his mouth.
"If that trick didn't work, Bleu would have needed extensive surgery to his mouth and tongue to remove the glue and would have ended up with an intensive recovery period over several months.
"It always puts a smile on my face when we're able to help a beloved pet make a speedy recovery and cases like this make me incredibly proud of our brilliant team and clinical facilities here in Bedlington."
According to Dr Robert, this is far from the strangest item the veterinary team has seen a dog eat. He added: "The strangest thing we had in practice was a dog who ate a whole set of Christmas tree lights – we really do see it all!
"We'd always recommend visiting your vet if you’re worried your dog may have eaten something they shouldn't have and advise you look out for warning signs such as groaning, a gurgly tummy, or an inability to keep down food or fluids."
Read next:
- 61 dogs looking for loving homes in 2023 after spending a lonely Christmas in kennels
'Thor' the walrus is 'healthy' ahead of his journey from Blyth to Norway
Tyneside cat shelter has record year after huge rise in adoptions
North East wildlife charity fears permanent closure due to avian flu restrictions
Meet the Tyneside cats looking for their purrfect home as they spend winter with Cats Protection
