A Shropshire family faced a terrifying start to the New Year after their inquisitive puppy swallowed a razor blade during a raid on the bathroom bin.
A Dangerous Discovery on New Year's Eve
Charlie, a five-month-old English bull terrier from Ludlow, was rushed to the vets on December 31st. The emergency unfolded after the puppy managed to get upstairs, bypassing a stair gate that had been left open. He was drawn to a bathroom bin by the tempting smell of a leftover sausage sandwich.
Owner Richard Johnson, 56, explained the sequence of events. "One of my teenage sons had put the remains of his sandwich in the bin, and Charlie could obviously smell it," he said. Mr Johnson, who runs a law firm with his wife Helen, 49, knew he had discarded a used razor blade in the same bin but was uncertain if he had replaced its plastic safety cover.
Emergency Surgery After X-Ray Confirmation
The family contacted their local veterinary practice, Teme Vets in Ludlow, on the evening of December 30th. Due to the dangerous nature of the suspected object, the vets advised waiting overnight so an X-ray could clearly show if anything was in the puppy's stomach.
"Charlie seemed absolutely fine so they told us to just keep monitoring him overnight," Mr Johnson recalled. An X-ray the following morning confirmed their worst fears: a 1.5-inch (39mm) razor blade was lodged in Charlie's stomach.
Veterinary nurse Emma Marston stated that making the dog sick was not an option. "We couldn't make him sick because it might have caused abrasions, even with the plastic cover on," she said. Emergency surgery was the only viable course of action.
A Lucky Escape and a Vet's Warning
Charlie underwent surgery and was back home later the same day. The family's relief was compounded by a crucial discovery. "We were so relieved to discover that I had at least put the cover back on the blade," Mr Johnson admitted. "It could have been so much worse if I hadn't."
Reflecting on the incident, which he called a "hyper-stressful time," Mr Johnson added that the main thing was Charlie's full recovery. He also playfully refused to identify which of his 16-year-old twin sons, Evan or Lloyd, was responsible for leaving the sandwich in the bin.
Nurse Emma Marston noted that while a razor blade is unusual, dogs frequently consume bizarre items. "It's maybe not the weirdest thing eaten by a dog which we've dealt with – that would be a sex toy I think," she revealed. Other items retrieved from pets at the surgery have included knickers, a whiskey decanter stopper, and fish hooks.
A spokesman for Teme Vets offered some light-hearted advice: "We think Charlie's New Year's resolutions should start with not eating things he shouldn't." The incident serves as a stark reminder to all pet owners about the hidden dangers lurking in household waste.
