Dog swallows face mask after picking it up while out on walk

Kobe the dog who swallowed the mask
Kobe swallowed a mask (Picture: Small Animal Hospital, University of Glasgow)

Vets are warning people not to litter with disposable masks after a dog swallowed one on a walk.

Staff at the Small Animal Hospital at the University of Glasgow posted about Kobe the dog who needed treatment after the incident and they said he was lucky there was not any serious damage. Kobe was brought in by his owner after he spotted the face mask and he ‘wolfed it down’.

The mask had a nose wire, which vets said made it more dangerous.

The post on Facebook explained: ‘Luckily, his owner recognised the risk of this causing damage to his gastro-intestinal tract, and brought him straight to our Out of Hours Emergency Service.

Kobe the dog who swallowed the mask
Poor Kobe (Picture: Small Animal Hospital, University of Glasgow)

‘An x-ray was taken to check if the mask contained a nose wire, as this increases the risk of complications – it did, but since this appeared small and flexible our team opted to make Kobe vomit in the hope of retrieving the mask.’

Kobe was given an injection to make him sick and luckily, it worked.

He made a full recovery but vets shared the story to remind people to dispose of their masks properly, and to keep an eye out for any when walking their pets.

The post continued: ‘You can see from Kobe’s sad expression that this was not a fun experience, but happily there was no serious damage caused in his case.

laidback pet breeds

‘A good reminder that littering is not only bad for our environment, but poses a danger to our pets too.’

Others were angry though that the mask had been left on the ground and not put in a bin.

One person commented: ‘So please to hear that Kobe is going to be ok thankfully. Thanks to his fast acting owner. People should think more before littering. Would they like people to do that in there homes. I don’t think so. Take your litter home and bin it or put it in community bins provided.’

Another added: ‘Why are people so disgusting and selfish. Put your masks in the bin and if there isn’t one handy keep a small plastic bag in your bag or pocket and put it in that till you can bin it.’

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