Bindi came into Vetwest as she wasn’t feeling very well. Bindi’s owner, Susie reported that she had taken Bindi to the beach on the weekend where she had played with a jellyfish and was stung in her mouth. Bindi then ate a whole heap of seaweed. Over the next couple of days, Bindi started to vomit, was not interested in food and generally quite lethargic, moping around the house. These are telltale signs that something is not right.
Susie brought Bindi in to see Dr Jacelyn, who admitted Bindi to hospital for a full investigation. After performing radiographs we found that Bindi’s stomach was full of some kind of material. Her stomach was so full that it was unlikely to empty on its own. So surgery was recommended so that the veterinary team could remove all the material. Bindi was put under a general anaesthetic, and the team began surgery to get a better picture of what was in her stomach.
During the surgery, Dr Jacelyn cut a small hole in Bindi’s stomach wall and gently pulled out all the seaweed. We were amazed how much seaweed Bindi had managed to ingest (see photo). Once all the seaweed had been removed Bindi’s stomach was sutured up and tested for any leaks. The surgery was a complete success and Bindi was back to her chatty normal self very quickly.
Susie and Bindi still love their beach walks, but Bindi is kept under a much more watchful eye. During summer, there are much more beach days ahead of us. It’s really important to keep an eye on your dogs while at the beach as there’s plenty they can eat that they shouldn’t be! This includes seaweed, blowfish, fishing bait and hooks and more. Also look out for Sea Hares, which we’ve seen an increase in, find out more here.
If you suspect your pooch has eaten anything they’re not supposed to, especially if they are showing symptoms like Bindi was, vomiting, lethargy and off their food please give your local Vetwest Clinic a call straight away.
If you’d like to book an appointment, contact your local Vetwest clinic or book an appointment online today.
