As pet parents, we don’t need to tell you twice: dogs don’t care what they’re supposed to stay away from. All they know is that they need to have what they want, when they want it, before you can say “No!”
This sort of thing keeps pet insurance companies in business. And if you thought what your dog did was bad, wait until you hear some of the insurance claims that companies like Pets Best and VPI have received this year. Here are some of the crazier dog-centric cases reported:
THE CASE OF THE AQUARIUM-DESTROYING DOG
One evening, Robert and Carol Richardson discovered blood on the paw of their Labrador. Unsure of how that came to be, they began to investigate. They were surprised to find their 55-gallon tortoise aquarium shattered. Still, they couldn’t figure out how a 14-month-old puppy did it. Convinced that their puppy was fine, the couple went to dinner. That’s where they realized what had happened — the pup, Bayley, must have rammed into the aquarium. Carol Richardson called her son at home to inspect Bayley’s chest. Sure enough, he had a gash that was two inches long. Bayley was rushed to the hospital and his laceration was closed with surgical staples. Bayley has made a full recovery and is doing very well now.
THE CASE OF THE ROCK-STEADY PUG
Lori Laverdiere’s Pug, Harley, had a bad eating habit — he liked to eat everything, non-food items included. After boarding Harley at her veterinarian’s office, she noticed that something was wrong with her puppy. When she took him home, he began to poop rocks. Laverdiere immediately contacted her vet to ask if they knew what was up. Harley had been allowed to wander an individual run for 10- to 20-minute periods, which is where he must have eaten the rocks. The vet said that it all should pass, but as the afternoon progressed, his condition worsened and he was unable to keep food or water down. Harley was rushed to the emergency animal hospital and was given an X-ray. He had almost 100 rocks stuck in his stomach! The rocks were thankfully small enough to pass without surgery, but Harley was still monitored overnight. After a couple of days, he was back to normal.
THE CASE OF THE ALMOND-SNORTING SPANIEL
Ellen Unsworth never had to worry about Tomis, her Cocker Spaniel, until one evening when she and her husband hosted a holiday party. Tomis usually behaved around people, but he must have been particularly hungry that night, because he ingested an entire bowl of raisins and almonds, both of which are toxic to dogs. The Unsworths immediately called their vet and were advised to bring Tomis in for potential raisin toxicity. They would later learn that Tomis had coughed while swallowing one of the nuts, causing it to become firmly lodged in the back of his sinuses. The dog was treated at the hospital for the next few days and had to remove the mass in the back of his nose with rhinoscopy. They found a whole almond wedged in place. Thankfully, Tomis survived!
THE CASE OF THE ANTLER EATER
Many dog owners who have chew-compulsive canines are careful of the kinds of toys and bones they give their pups. Many of these particular pet parents choose elk antler dog chews, a nearly indestructible and all-natural alternative to rawhide or pig ears. But even the toughest of elk antlers didn’t stand a chance against Ryder the Labrador puppy.
According to Ryder’s mom, Kendra Snurkowski, her little pup was obsessed with his antler chew. She had never seen him apart from it, except for one night when it went missing. After searching high and low for the toy, Snurkowski concluded that Ryder had swallowed it whole. The vet comforted her saying that Labs were infamous for swallowing foreign objects and that it would probably pass naturally. After three days of waiting, Snurkowski brought Ryder back to the vet. He had to be treated for colitis with antibiotics.
THE CASE OF THE REAL-LIFE CORNDOG
If you are decorating your home with fake fruit or gourds galore this season, you may want to reconsider. Your pet may think it’s the real deal, and as a result, attempt to eat them, just like Tacoda the Alaskan Malamute. Tacoda’s owner found the hungry dog sick to his stomach after he ingested a decorative corn cob. The dog received surgery after being admitted for intestinal issues. While the procedure was costly, Tacoda’s owners received a $1,671 reimbursement from their insurance.
THE CASE OF THE PUP WHO WAS BURIED ALIVE
One evening, Peanut the Dachshund mix decided to chase after a skunk underneath his owner’s deck and accidentally buried himself deep in the dirt. First responders tried everything they could to unearth the dog, but said that it was a lost cause. Christy and Keith Wolfram refused to believe that was true. Christy Wolfram grabbed a shovel and began to dig herself. After several hours, she still couldn’t find him, but she did not give up. Finally, they saw a paw, and were eventually able to rescue Peanut, who was barely moving, but still alive. The dog was administered oxygen and was treated for hypothermia for two days. After a week and a half, she made a full recovery.
Dogster readers: What’s the toughest scrape your dog has gotten into?
Top Photo: Two surprised ladies on the floor with pet dog by Shutterstock
This article first ran on our friend site, Pawnation. See more recent stories from that site:
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