Pet owners warned after dog swallows discarded face mask while out on walk
A DOG lover has issued a warning to fellow pet owners after her cocker spaniel swallowed a discarded face mask while out on a walk.
Laura Chan, 54, had to rush two-year-old Kobe to the vets after he ate the medical covering which had been left on a playing field.
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An X-ray showed the mask intact inside the pup’s stomach.
Housewife Laura, from Renfrew, Glasgow, said: “I was worried the mask had wire in it and would damage his insides.
“I was also concerned the elastic would get stuck around his insides and that they might have to open him up to retrieve the mask.
“Luckily, the vets helped and the mask came up in one piece.”
Kobe is now recovering at home with Laura, her son Leon, 24, and fellow cocker spaniel Jasper.
He has not been allowed off the lead since the ordeal – with Laura trying to teach him to wear a muzzle so she can walk him without worrying what he will eat.
The mum-of-four is also picking up discarded face masks to stop other dogs suffering like little Kobe.
She said: “The vets said it was a first for them for a dog to swallow a mask. Hopefully they won’t see another case.
“Thankfully Kobe was back home by the evening and was his normal self, looking for food as soon as he got in.
“I want everybody to make sure they safely dispose face masks. Don’t just throw them on the ground.”
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Sophie Ashworth, from the University of Glasgow Small Animal Hospital, said: “We frequently see dogs eating 'foreign bodies' which require emergency treatment, such as that for Kobe.
“One of the overlooked side effects of Covid-19 seems to be more discarded PPE, such as gloves and face masks.
“This is a timely reminder that littering is not only bad for our environment, but also poses a danger for our pets.”