A dog walker has made an impassioned warning to others after their lurcher ate elastic bands in Diss Park – resulting in veterinary bills running into hundreds of pounds.
The resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, said she was unaware her eleven-year-old dog had eaten a pile of about 50 elastic bands – which had been left on the ground – about two weeks ago.
She was shocked to see her pet vomiting and passing the bands in the days following the incident.
The dog walker, who said she was not sure whether the bands were dropped by accident or deliberately, wants others to be aware to avoid them going through the same experience.
Three trips to the vets have followed and, while their dog is on the road to recovery, there is a chance he could relapse and require an operation.
The woman also claims to have seen other elastic bands in other streets in the town.
“I very nearly lost my dog. He was terribly ill,” she explained.
“If he had not sicked them up, I would not have known what was wrong with him.
“He is much better and brighter, but I thought I had lost him.
“Cherry Tree Vets were wonderful. They saved his life.
“It has cost me more than £300. I’m just a bit miffed by people’s negligence.”
Aleksandra Petryka, veterinary surgeon at Cherry Tree Vets in Diss, said pets coming into the practice after eating foreign bodies was very common, especially for puppies and kittens.
“These foreign bodies can stay in the stomach for a few months and, if they do not cause obstructions, they can cause discomfort and they can embed themselves into the stomach lining,” she said.
Dogs eating elastic bands can cause problems to the intestines, causing gastric ulcers and discomfort.
Longer bands can anchor higher up in the animal, causing further issues for the intestines, which are “fragile” and “damage very easily”.
