An eight-year-old crossbreed dog named Shylah underwent emergency surgery after ingesting a metre of Christmas tinsel. The incident occurred last Christmas when Shylah, frightened by nearby fireworks, ate the tinsel while her owner briefly took their eyes off her.
Shylah’s owner noticed that a string of tinsel was missing and immediately rushed her to Wolverhampton PDSA Pet Hospital when she became sick and stopped eating. X-rays revealed a large mass in Shylah’s stomach, which was confirmed to be the tinsel. Vets performed emergency surgery to remove the entire length of tinsel in one piece, as its potential movement into her intestines could have been fatal.
The surgery was successful, and Shylah returned home in time for Christmas. Her owner expressed relief, saying that acting quickly prevented further harm. The PDSA is urging pet owners to keep decorations and other hazardous items out of reach, especially during the festive season, and has warned that many pet emergencies continue over the holidays. The charity expects to treat around 23,000 pets this Christmas and is appealing for support to maintain its services.