A cheeky dog who thought he was helping himself to tasty treats gave his owner a serious shock, when vets discovered he'd managed to eat a total of 25 golf balls while out on a walk.
Newcastle vets have shared the bizarre story of giant schnauzer Alfie, whose "tee-time" treat could have caused serious health problems.
Owner Neil Taylor, from Westerhope, Newcastle, had let the hound off the lead on a local course, which was free of golfers due to the coronavirus lockdown.
But unbeknown to Neil, Alfie had been enjoying a "tee-time" treat of discarded golf balls, along with rubber gloves, a ball of string and various pieces of wood.
But the unusual meal didn't agree with the poor pooch, who later collapsed at home, after vomiting up four golf balls.
Neil rushed his beloved pet to his vets, Blythman and Partners, who were shocked when they discovered quite how much Alfie had managed to consume.
Blythman owner Graham Chambers explained: “It was clear that Alfie had eaten something that disagreed with him, but we were initially unaware of the scale of the problem.
“Our branches are all fully equipped with diagnostic imaging equipment, meaning we could quickly get to the heart – or stomach – of the issue.
“We were amazed to see his stomach was full of golf balls – 15 to be precise - and so surgery was the only option.
“However, when we opened him up for the operation, we had another shock in store – we found another six hiding in his tummy, bringing the total up to 25.”
The operation took place on June 16, and Alfie was taken care of by veterinary nurses before being allowed home two days later.
Neil said: “'I only have one dog and he's like my son. It was a huge relief when we were given the all clear by the vets.
“I can’t thank Blythman and Partners enough – thanks to their 24-hour emergency service, we were able to get Alfie seen as soon as he fell ill, which I’m sure played a major part in his recovery.”
