We have a spaniel named Charlie at home. We love him very much, so we take great care of his health and take him to the vet regularly. During one of our routine checkups at the vet, I met a woman whose Pekingese had been poisoned by a rather unexpected "product."
A Pekingese named Zhorik had been feeling poorly lately. At first, he became lethargic and refused to eat. When, a couple of days later, the dog began vomiting and his stomach became severely bloated, his owner became alarmed and took him to the vet.
The woman was sure Zhorik had eaten something outside: he's always sniffing around and always finds something on the ground. Recently, for example, he dug up a bone among last year's leaves. The woman barely managed to pry the dangerous "treat" from his teeth.
In short, the Pekingese's owner was certain the little rascal had eaten something on the street and was now suffering. Her concern was heightened by the recent practice of some "do-gooders" of spreading poison for stray cats and dogs, which had repeatedly harmed the pets.
At the animal clinic, Zhorik had his stomach x-rayed. No bones were visible, but his stomach was clearly obstructed. The doctor suspected the dog might have swallowed a plastic bag and decided to perform emergency surgery. However, the bag had absolutely nothing to do with it.
A surgeon removed five children's socks of different colors and sizes from a Pekingese's stomach. It turns out that the woman had recently begun noticing her sons' socks disappearing from the laundry basket. But she hadn't paid any attention to it and hadn't even considered it for Zhorik. Moreover, until recently, her pet had been feeling fine. Alarming symptoms only appeared when his stomach became completely full.
The veterinarian explained that dogs have very strange food preferences. What seems foul to humans (like rotten meat or dirty socks) smells quite appetizing to a dog. So Zhorik ate his fill of socks. And if his owner hadn't raised the alarm, he might not have been saved the next day.
So, if you have a dog in your home, keep a close eye on its belongings. If you notice anything missing—socks, underwear, handkerchiefs, and other small items—don't hesitate to take your four-legged friend to the vet. It's always best to be on guard with them.
