Ever had your pet swallow something they shouldn’t, like when your dog eats a stone or a sock? Sometimes, it can have serious consequences – including causing intestinal blockages that can lead to even worse issues. Plenty of our customers have unfortunately experienced this and it’s something they’d never want a repeat of.
Recent PD Insurance market research shows that a dog swallowing something they shouldn’t and getting sick is the number one health concern among pet parents. And no wonder – it’s our most common claim type among dog owners!
We spoke to Lisa, the pet parent to a curious Labrador pup who had to get emergency surgery after swallowing a stone. Here’s Archie’s story.
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Meet Archie
Archie the Labrador Retriever is an almost two year old pup who lives in Avoca Beach, New South Wales. He joined his human family in March 2022 and has brought tons of joy since.
“Our family members that looked after our previous dog got a pup from a local breeder in Mudgee where they lived,” says Archie’s mum Lisa. “We all fell in love with him immediately, so I contacted the breeder and arranged to adopt a puppy from the next litter.”
Lisa says they chose Archie for his cheeky personality and his love for belly rubs – he flopped down and rolled over for a belly rub from the moment they met him.
They brought him home a couple of weeks later and he’s been part of the family ever since.
“He loves his human siblings and loves to steal things [mostly socks] and have them chase him around the house in the mornings before they go to school,” says Lisa. ” He’s our only pet and enjoys leisurely days lounging at home while I work, waiting for his brother and sister to get home from school so he can go to his favourite place – the beach!”
Before Archie the dog ate a stone …
Lisa says they insured Archie with PD when he was just a few months old.
“It was a spontaneous decision when an ad for PD insurance came up in my social media feed. I decided to get the basic accident cover, especially since there was a ‘first month free’ promotion at the time,” says Lisa. “Boy are we glad we did!”
It turns out the family would have to make two claims for Archie pretty soon. At six months old, he managed to jump up on a bench and steal some of Lisa’s daughter’s medication.
“He ate a whole bottle of paracetamol and we had to rush him to the vet for emergency treatment,” says Lisa. “This was so stressful and frightening and I had completely forgotten about my insurance at that time. When I remembered I had it we were incredibly relieved to learn that the whole cost of his treatment was covered [minus the small excess].”
Toxic ingestion from things like medicine, plants, certain food that are toxic to dogs and other things that can poison your pet are very common accidents – especially for puppies. It’s worth reading up on how to stop a dog choking and other ingestion risks.
Stone time: from tummy rumbles to the dog ER
Archie recovered from swallowing paracetamol, but only a year later the poor pup would need the emergency vet again.
“We had returned home from a family outing that day, and Archie was very excited to see us,” says Lisa.
Archie, who doesn’t often get left home alone and had been left most of the day, was very happy. And, as always, hungry!
“We fed him and he inhaled his food in all the excitement. An hour or so later I could hear his tummy rumbling, which was unusual.”
Lisa kept an eye on Archie and he seemed fine, but in the middle of the night she heard him pacing outside the bedroom window.
“I instinctively I knew something was wrong,” she says. “By morning he wasn’t willing to eat and had been vomiting.”
The family remembered that the morning before he’d been playing with a small rock from the garden. He’d been trying to get the kids to chase him for it. They thought their dog had eaten the stone, but since it was quite small and he’d done this before they weren’t overly alarmed.
“But when he wouldn’t eat I became very worried,” says Lisa. “I took him to our regular vet who turned us away because we didn’t have an appointment. So we headed to the emergency animal hospital.”
Archie’s experience at the emergency vet
The vets examined Archie (unsure at this point if the dog ate a stone) and agreed to give him anti-nausea medication while monitoring him. They initially suspected it might be a case of gastro in dogs or a similar issue.
“We went back home and I kept a close eye on him, but he didn’t get better and still wouldn’t eat,” says Lisa. “By evening I could tell something was very wrong, so we rushed back to the hospital.”
When they returned to hospital Archie was taken in for an examination and X-rays. They left him there and went home to wait for an update.
“The vet called soon after to confirm our fears. The X-ray showed a rock was blocking his bowel, and he was in serious distress.”
Emergency surgery for the intestinal blockage would be required. Lisa consented and they sent the hefty deposit so the vet could proceed.
Luckily, the surgery was a success and they were able to bring Archie home after about 24 hours.
“We had to keep a very close eye on him for a couple of weeks while he recovered and his stitches healed,” says Lisa.
Dog + stone = a mighty big vet bill
Archie was in the clear after surgery for the intestinal blockage, but it came with a hefty vet bill.
“I wasn’t sure this claim would be honoured, given we’d already made a substantial claim the previous year,” says Lisa. “But I submitted anyway, hoping for the best.”
PD accepted the claim for intestinal blockage surgery and processed it without delay.
“We didn’t get all of the cost back because we are still on the most basic plan. However, we got the maximum coverage, which was up to $5,000,” says Lisa. “This didn’t cover the whole cost but helped immensely at a time when everyone seems to be struggling with the cost of day to day living.”
Can I stop my dog from eating a stone?
After Archie’s intestinal blockage ordeal, Lisa says she wishes she had the answer to stopping pups swallowing things they shouldn’t.
“For us, we’ve had to replace our garden stones with turf,” she says. “My only tip to other pet parents is to make sure there are always lots of things available for your pup to play with.”
It’s all a game to Archie. So long as he can grab a ball, or his squeaky piggy, he’s happy.
“We still worry every day about him doing it again, but we hope he’s learned a lesson!”
Insurance for the unforeseen
The all-too-easy incident of Archie the dog eating a stone and getting an intestinal blockage is a reminder of how quickly accidents can happen. Signing up for pet insurance – definitely worth considering right from when your dog is a puppy! – can save you thousands in vet bills.
PD Insurance covers extensive pet medical treatments and you get the first month or more FREE! It’s all about giving your pet and your pocket a soft landing when you need it most.
Click below to find out more.