A DOG that swallowed a fish hook has been saved at a Hampshire veterinary clinic.

A calm walk for Millie the dog with her owners on a riverbank turned into a dramatic dash to Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists in Winchester when the Labrador raided a fisherman’s bag.

The six-year-old family pet was hoping for a treat but instead swallowed a fish hook complete with line and weights.

Local vets took X-rays which confirmed Millie had swallowed the potentially deadly angling kit and she was swiftly referred to Linnaeus-owned Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists in Winchester.

READ MORE: Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists save Hampshire dog

An endoscope revealing the fishing tackle (Image: Anderson Moores)

Owner Claire Rowe, from Goring, Berkshire, said it all happened so fast and she soon realised something was seriously wrong with her pet.

She said: “We were walking along the river when Millie suddenly stuck her head into a Tesco carrier bag belonging to a fisherman.

“As soon as I saw what she was doing I called her, she came to me and it was at that point I examined her and noticed a tiny piece of metal in the corner of her mouth, while Millie immediately started brushing her nose with her paw.

“I had the strong impression it was fish hook but Millie wriggled free. When I did manage to get a second look, I couldn’t see anything so I was worried she’d swallowed it.

“I called to the fisherman to ask if there were fish hooks in the carrier bag and he confirmed there had been fish hooks in the bag.

“I went straight home and spoke to my daughter Charlotte, who coincidentally is a vet and currently working in Sydney, Australia, but back on a visit.

“I told her I thought Millie had swallowed a fish hook and line and she said I needed to take her for an X-ray as soon as possible, which I did.”

Sure enough, Millie was referred to award-winning animal hospital Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists in Winchester to have the fish hook safely removed.

Claire continued: “The concern was whether they could retrieve the hook non-surgically with an endoscope (mini video camera with tools for internal procedures) or whether she would need to be cut open.

“Thankfully, they managed to safely remove it with the endoscope and Millie recovered very quickly from the procedure.

“When I went to collect her the following day and she was bouncing around and full of energy, she couldn’t wait to get out to have a good run.

“The vet said it was lovely to see a dog bouncing out of the hospital looking so well so soon after treatment.

“We were equally pleased and are very grateful to the Anderson Moores’ team for their care and attention both for Millie and for us. We’d definitely recommend them.”

Anderson Moores’ resident in internal medicine Vicky Neale dealt with the case and said Millie had a lucky escape.

Vicky said: “Radiographs (X-rays) revealed the fish hook and attached weight were in Millie’s stomach.

“We used an endoscope to examine internally and this revealed there was no significant mucosal damage to the stomach or oesophagus.

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“The fish hook was not embedded either, which ruled out the need for any invasive surgery and allowed us to successfully retrieve the hook, weights and fishing line using the endoscope.

“This was a very positive outcome for Millie who had fortunately escaped any internal damage despite swallowing something as sharp and dangerous as a fish hook.

“She also showed no ill-effects from the non-invasive treatment and removal and was allowed home soon afterwards none the worse for her escapade!”

Anderson Moores offers expert care in anaesthesia and analgesia, cardiology, dentistry, diagnostic imaging, feline hyperthyroid clinic, internal medicine, neurology, oncology, orthopaedics and soft tissue surgery. 

For more information, visit andersonmoores.com or search for Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists on social media.