Dog Having Cancer Surgery Had Stuffed Animals Removed Instead

When the veterinary surgeon attempted to remove what appeared to be massive cancerous growths in a dog’s stomach, he instead found the remnants of some very enthusiastic snacking.

Maisy, an eight-year-old St. Bernard from Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, was taken in for a CT scan by owner Jane Dickinson. The scan showed a large mass on her spleen and in her stomach. Cancer seemed the most obvious malady, not uncommon for dogs nearing the end of their natural lifespan. When Dickinson took her to Paragon Veterinary Referrals in Wakefield, she said she was unsure if Maisy would ever come back out.

But when veterinary surgeon Nick Blackburn opened her up in an attempt to remove the “tumors,” he found a bizarre surprise: four undigested stuffed toys, packed into the massive elderly dog’s abdomen. The plush stowaways had been blocking the digestion of proper food.

“It’s fair to say this was not something we were expecting to find! We all know certain dogs enjoy chewing things they shouldn’t but managing to devour four full teddy bears is quite a feat,” Dr. Blackburn said. “I know Jane was worried about Maisy as she is quite old for a St Bernard, so we were naturally delighted the operation was such a success and we were able to return a happy, healthy dog to the Dickinsons.”

Maisy was, however, still in a bit of trouble. As it happens, “the toys weren’t even hers!” Dickinson said that “she will steal the chihuahuas’ toys and play with them but I’ve never seen her trying to chew them.” In fact, she did not even recognize one of the objects extracted from her dog at first. “My brother also keeps chihuahuas and it turns out it belonged to his dog.”

Now that Maisy is free of her artificially furry companions, she is “loving life.” According to the happy owner, “it’s like she’s got her youth back.” It was a happy ending all around and a reminder of just how much mischief man’s best friend is capable.