Almost Game Over for Rocco

11 April 2019

Staffie saved by vets after eating game console

A Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross named Rocco needed an emergency surgery when our vets discovered the curious canine had swallowed a Nintendo DS game!

Rocco’s owners, Sean Johnston (27) and Rebecca Moss (29), from Cumbernauld, Glasgow, knew something was wrong when the four-year-old pooch started vomiting and refused to eat. When his condition didn’t improve, worried Sean made an emergency visit to our PDSA’s Glasgow Shamrock Street Pet Hospital.

Rocco was admitted immediately and our vets were stunned when x-rays revealed a rectangular shaped object in his gut. After rushing him into surgery to remove the potentially fatal object, they retrieved a video game cartridge lodged in his small intestine!

Owner Sean said: “He wasn’t acting himself at all and we were worried he’d eaten a corn on the cob, but we were so shocked when the vet said it was from a video game! We don’t own a Nintendo or anything like that so we’re baffled as to where he got it from. He’s a rescue dog and we’ve only had him for about six months so the only thing we can think is that it was from his previous owners – who knows how long it’s been in there!”

Left untreated, the cartridge could have caused a fatal blockage. Our experienced surgeon was able to carry out the successful operation that same day and after an overnight stay to keep a close eye on his recovery Rocco was discharged the following day for rest and recovery.

Sean added: “Even though we haven’t had him that long, he’s already such a big part of the family, so we’re delighted to have him back home. He’s made a brilliant recovery.”

PDSA Senior Vet, Susan Hermit, said: “We see dogs that eat strange things all the time but none of us had ever seen anything like this! Objects can sometimes sit in the stomach for a while, but they cause problems when they try and push through the guts, which are much narrower. It was a good job Sean brought Rocco in when he did, as an object of this size trying to pass through the guts could have caused a deadly blockage or pierced his internal organs.”

Pets, especially puppies and younger dogs, are naturally curious and like to use their mouths to investigate objects. Sometimes, a pet will swallow an item by mistake, but this can be quite dangerous, as many items could cause a gut blockage and some might also be toxic or sharp. Owners are advised to speak to their vet for advice as soon as possible if they suspect their pet has eaten something they shouldn’t have.

For further information including signs and symptoms to look out for if you think your pet might have eaten something they shouldn’t, visit PDSA’s brand new Pet Health Hub.