A loyal dog’s tongue was nearly cut in half after it got stuck in a rubber ball toy.
His loving humans are now warning other pet owners about leaving their furry companions unattended.
The photos they shared show Poppy with parts of each side of her tongue missing as the tissue turned necrotic because of restricted blood circulation.
Her owners, Helen and James, came back home from work and found Poppy had got her stuck in the air hole of her toy.
After playing with the rubber ball, the couple noticed that despite seeming happy, little Poppy was acting strangely so they decided to take her to Foxhall Veterinary Clinic.
That’s where nurses discovered that the front half of the pooch’s tongue was swollen and it has a red line showing where her toy had restricted the blood flow.
In addition to the marks, her tongue was warm to touch and pink. Poppy was delighted to get some treats and she was given medication to alleviate the swelling.
The red line gradually changed into bruising over the course of a week. It also started to smell bad and it developed white plaques. The area turned necrotic and died, leaving the loving pooch with two giant slits on each side of her tongue.
Poppy was left with her pink tongue dangling only by a thread of flesh but the vets stitched it back up. All the dead tissue was removed and Poppy is now on the road to recovery!
Vets also shared the story to highlight the dangers of leaving pets unattended with their toys.
“The surgery was successful and our nurses couldn’t believe it when Poppy ate and drank as soon as she woke up,” said a Foxhall Veterinary Clinic spokesperson.
“We’re happy to report that Poppy’s tongue has pretty much healed now, she is using her tongue normally to drink and can still give plenty of kisses. The stitches are in place but will eventually dissolve.
“We’ve all grown very attached to Poppy here at Foxhall and we will miss her daily visits. Poppy’s owners wanted us to share her story to highlight the dangers of leaving your dog unattended with toys, no matter how innocent they seem.”
Speaking about the incident, Helen said: “[It was] really traumatic for us all. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for looking after Poppy.
“She’s been so well loved by everybody at the surgery and we couldn’t have asked for a more dedicated team. Well done to you all, Poppy sends sloppy kisses.”
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments section and SHARE this story with your family and friends!
Replaced!