Family Fears Cancer After DRs Find Mass on Dog's Spleen. During Surgery, Find 4 Teddy Bears Instead
When Maisy the 8-year-old St. Bernard was brought to the vet for digestive issues, her family never expected that their beloved pup could have cancer.
Her family had noticed that she was suddenly having difficulties digesting her food, so they brought her to the vet to find out why.
But after a CT scan revealed a mass on Maisy’s spleen along with an abnormally enlarged stomach, the dog was immediately rushed into surgery.
Of course, the family was extremely worried for their beloved pet and feared she wouldn’t make it through, as she was the oldest St. Bernard they’d ever owned.
But as surgeons began the operation, they were shocked to discover what was actually causing Maisy’s digestive issues.
The dog had attempted to eat four small dog toys and teddy bears which had become lodged in her stomach. The toys she’d eaten belonged to a few of the family’s chihuahuas.
“It’s fair to say this was not something we were expecting to find!” vet surgeon Nick Blackburn said.
“We all know certain dogs enjoy chewing things they shouldn’t but managing to devour four full teddy bears is quite a feat.”
Maisy’s family is just as relieved to find out their pet’s cancer was nothing more than a scare.
“Her eating habits had been completely normal,” Maisy’s owner Jane Dickinson said. “I didn’t even recognize one of the toys – my brother also keeps chihuahuas and it turns out it belonged to his dog.”
After the plush toys were removed from the pup’s stomach, she was able to return home, and Jane has reported that Maisy is finally back to her old self.
“When Maisy went in I did think ‘is she coming out?’,” she said. “But she is loving life now – it’s like she’s got her youth back. The toys weren’t even hers. She will steal the chihuahuas’ toys and play with them but I’ve never seen her trying to chew them.”
Thankfully, Maisy still has a long and happy life ahead of her with her loving family.
“Now it’s like she’s got a new lease of life,” Jane said. “She is a good age for a St. Bernard and has lived longer than any of the others we have had. She’s a one-off.”
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