Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Sometimes eating poopie isn't all that bad...

Mimi's note: My dogs will dine on the occasional poopie if they spy a turd that I missed during daily clean-up. They have also been known to munch on kitty-rocha if they have to opportunity to check out the kitty snack bar. But, you know what, sometimes those habits aren't all that bad when you find out what other dogs think is a delicious treat

Courtesy of the Willakenzie Animal Clinic
Vivian Cooper went out last week to go to a tea party with her daughter and grandchildren, and left her husband in charge of the three dogs. Two hours later, Cooper came home and found Mia, her 2-year-old German shepherd-greyhound mix, sunning in the back yard.

Mia doesn't usually get to hang out in the yard unsupervised — she's tall, and could potentially jump the fence into a neighbor's yard, but she seemed fine. That is, until later that night, when Cooper tossed a ball down the hallway for Mia to fetch and heard a noisy rattle.

"The sound was really quite loud, like she had marbles in her pocket," Cooper tells PEOPLEPets.com. "I leaned down and put my head near her ribcage and shook her. Inside it went, clunk-clunk-clunk-clunk-clunk."

The next day, Cooper took Mia to the Willakenzie Animal Clinic in Eugene, Ore., where X-rays revealed 10 rocks in the dog's stomach! She had swallowed the stones from inside the backyard water fountain.

"We're not talking small rocks — the biggest one is the size of a chicken egg," Cooper says of the stones her husband had collected and polished for her.

Even with the weight in her belly, Mia was acting normally, eating and drinking as she would have any other day. "Just a wiggly, happy dog!" says vet tech Sue Griffith. Because the rocks were smooth, they didn't hurt the lining of her stomach, and because they were so large, they didn't make her sick.

"She's what I would call an overachiever when it comes to swallowing rocks," says the vet, Dr. Jon Duncan. "The smaller ones actually do pass into the gastro-intestinal tract more easily, and those dogs come in quite ill. I guess swallowing big ones does have some advantages!"

Duncan made an incision in Mia's stomach and removed the stones one at a time. Now she's recovered fully, having had her first solid meal on Friday. And she's going back to being supervised while she's out in the yard — where all the rocks have since been removed from the fountain.
National Canine Cancer Foundation

23 comments:

Sam said...

Yeah, after reading that, the occasional cat turd really doesn't seem so bad.. :)

Two French Bulldogs said...

Hmmmm... I never swallowed a rock, I have only carried it around. A lil poop is ok now and then
Benny & Lily

Valerie Cummings said...

Oh dear. I can just imagine the sound of her tummy! Yikes! Hugs Joey and Kealani

Mochi and Bali said...

Ouch! One time I swallowed a tiny rock that irritated my stomach. They took me to the vet and I had to be on soft food for a few days.

Mochi

Frankie Furter and Ernie said...

I PAWsonally consider Deer and Rabbit Poops to be quite delightful.

An English Shepherd said...

Opps!

Wizz :-)

^..^Corgidogmama said...

Oh for heaven's sake....crazy nut dog! Pass the turdies please!

KT and Easton said...

Rock star Mia give new meaning to including fiber and bulk in one's diet. Glad she's OK.

Emma Rose said...

Sir Bear eats rocks too when he can get away with it. Silly dog!

Kisses,
Emma Rose

JacksDad said...

Jack will occasionally chew on rocks, but I don't think he's swallowed any yet!

♥♥ The OP Pack ♥♥ said...

That is one scary story. Glad we don't have any rocks in our yard because Mom is sure Ciara would just have to try them.

Thank goodness for the human throwing that ball down the hall.

Woos - Phantom, Thunder, and Ciara

3 doxies said...

We do some insane things don't we? Hehehe.
Get this...my VET told us a sory bout a doggie that had to undergo surgery. They did an xray and the vet wasn't sure what was in hi tummy so they went in and da VET pulled out a leopard print thong...hehehe!
Puddles
pees: love the last comment you posted on your last post...you get her girl. I'm behind you 100%

Mrs. JP said...

Wow, yep, you know something's wrong when your dog rattles when they jump.

Golden Woofs! SUGAR said...

Woof! Woof! I know it is insane n crazy ... Remember last month I had some bunny pooops .... Oooops!!! Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar

Teddy Bear said...

We're so glad Mia is ok.:)

Love,
Teddy Bear

♥I am Holly♥ said...

Holly used to try and eat rocks when she was a puppy. One time she found a little frog in the backyard...she got rid of that quick when it squirted her mouth with the poison they carry! Now she sticks to Milk Bones or Busy Bones!
Lots of love, Debbie and Holly

houndstooth said...

Yikes! I've heard some crazy stories about what dogs will eat, but that one is pretty good!

NAK and The Residents of The Khottage Now With KhattleDog! said...

I believe Mango's LabraDork BroFur PeeWee is known fur his rokhk khollekhting!

Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra

little princess Luna~ said...

OMD ROCKS~?!?! wow. :/

xo,
luna

The Life of Riley said...

I've herard my vet talking about taking three golf balls out of one of his patients... but I like this rock collection (and the thought of the sounds it would have made) better!

dArtagnan Rumblepurr/Diego Hamlet Moonfur said...

Puppies are odd. Cute, but odd. :)

Sue said...

When the pups were little some of them ate pebbles. The vet warned us and fortunately none of them got sick, but we couldn't get them to stop. Now I try to be diligent about poop, but with ten of them, I sometimes miss it. They sure find it and now the baby rabbits visit the yard at night and leave surprises for the dogs in the morning.

Kari in Alaska said...

rock eating is very scary