A beach-loving cocker spaniel who was struggling to breathe is back to his old self after specialist vets removed a large stick blocking his airway.
Three-year-old Cooper was referred to Linnaeus-owned Kentdale Referrals in Milnthorpe after he fell ill while playing on the beach.
Cooper, who loves to play with sticks and stones, had been running with a group of friends when he began to suffer breathing difficulties.
His owner Dawn Benson, of Whitehaven, requested Cooper be referred to Kentdale for more in-depth testing.
Jan Beranek, a specialist in small animal surgery, carried out a rhinoscopy and a CT scan of Cooper’s skull.
This revealed a stick wedged above the soft palate, which separates the nasal from the oral cavity.
Jan said: “There was nothing obvious on clinical examination, but the history of snorting and struggling to breathe with the mouth shut and the absence of nasal discharge was consistent with an issue affecting the upper part of the throat, behind the nose.
“We discovered a large stick wedged above the soft palate, which is an unusual place for something to become lodged.
“We made a cut in the middle of the soft palate under general anaesthetic to remove the wooden object. Cooper was discharged home on the same day as his diagnosis.
“He made an instant recovery and it was a quick solution to Cooper. We’re really pleased to have such a successful outcome.
“Stick injuries are something we see quite regularly, and we would advise pet owners to never allow their dogs to play with sticks. Instead, try using a pet friendly toy when playing fetch with their dogs.”
Dawn said Cooper was now back to living his best life back at home with his mum, Lady.
Dawn said: “I was so relieved when Jan called me to advise he had found the problem and could operate to remove the obstruction.
“At this point, Cooper was losing weight and becoming one poorly dog.
“Cooper made a remarkable recovery and was a different dog almost instantly. It was such a relief.
“I am eternally grateful to Kentdale for restoring my boy to full health.”
