This is a tale about a missing sock. The sock was long, red and very smelly and one afternoon it went missing from a footy bag.

The next day, Jake, the well-loved and playful Frenchie started to look a bit ‘off’. He was quieter than usual and didn’t want to eat his breakfast. This is very unusual behaviour for dogs and can sometimes mean that all is not right.

After a rather large vomit, a visit to the vet was in order. Examination revealed some tummy pain and x-rays were taken showing a large amount of gas and food in the stomach.

Suddenly there was a suspicion that something was stuck in Jake’s stomach…

As time was ticking by, Jake became more and more unwell so the decision was made to perform surgery to open Jake’s stomach and sure enough, the sock was found!

Gastrointestinal obstructions are not uncommon. Our pets love to eat things they shouldn’t and sometimes these things become stuck. Dogs are particularly susceptible as they love to scavenge but cats may also ingest objects, such as string or plastic wrapping.

Signs to watch out for:

• Vomiting
• Lethargy
• Loss of appetite
• Abdominal discomfort

Diagnosis can be a bit difficult as not all items show up on x-ray and if the obstruction is left too long areas of the gut can become unhealthy and require extensive surgery. Early intervention and treatment is essential to ensure a good outcome.

If you are worried your pet might have eaten something out of the ordinary you should call Pet Doctors Palm Beach on 5576 0400 for advice.