A beloved family dog narrowly avoided losing an eye after getting a grass seed lodged in her tear duct.
Owner Carol Probert was concerned when Annie, five, seemed to be in pain for several weeks and the issue was not solved with eye drops or antibiotics
When pus and mucus came out of the Labrador ’s eye she was taken to Park Vet Group’s hospital and a foreign body was found inside it.
Experts found a 1.1cm grass seed which had managed to get into the tear duct and started growing, prompting emergency surgery.
Owner Carol said: “I’ve had Annie since she was an eight-week-old puppy and I was worried she might lose the eye, Leicestershire Live reported.
“The vets were sure from the off it was a foreign body causing the problem but, initially, I wasn’t convinced.
“When I saw the size of the seed I was horrified. I couldn’t believe that something that size had got into the tear duct.
“Obviously Annie runs through grass all the time when she’s working as a gun dog but it must have been a real ‘bullseye’ for the seed to have made it through such a tiny gap in the tear duct.”
Luckily surgery was a success and she went on to make a full recovery.
The hospital’s lead surgeon and ophthalmology consultant Mark Russon said: “The only way to confirm was by surgery, which was obviously challenging due to the tiny size of the tear duct meaning there was a very narrow space to work in.
“We used micro crocodile forceps to open and explore the tear duct, which confirmed there was a foreign body inside.
“It’s remarkable something 1.1cm long could penetrate something as small as the tear duct.”
Since surgery, Annie has gone on to compete in four dog shows of which she won three.
Carol added it showed her beloved pet was “back to her very best”.
Earlier this month a dying dog got to taste a McDonald's cheeseburger before she said her final goodbyes to her loving family.
Molly the 12-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier cross was struck down with a cancerous tumour two months ago, and heartbroken Emmie Neilsen, 23, had to make the devastating decision to put her down.
Determined to give Molly the most special send-off, the family organised to do all her favourite things on her last day on earth.
Emmie told the Mirror : "First we went to McDonald's for her first and last cheeseburger and McFlurry.
“Then we took her for a drive to Pets at Home to get some attention from strangers and choose her last treat.
“She loved it."
