Dog swallows 16-inch metal chain

A DOG was recovering yesterday after swallowing a 16-inch metal choke chain.

Vets had to operate to remove the chain from the dog which lives with its owners, Michael Alderson, aged 54, and wife Devina, aged 53, in Cambridge.

Mrs Alderson said the 18-week-old dog, called Harley, gulped down the chain 10 days ago.

"I saw her chewing it, but I didn't think anything of it," said Mrs Alderson. "Then I suddenly realised it wasn't there and I said to my husband 'I think she's swallowed it' and he said 'don't be silly'."

She added: "We took her to the vet and, sure enough, she had swallowed it and they had to operate. Luckily it was still in her stomach. If it had gone into her digestive system, it could have done a lot of damage."

Mrs Alderson said Harley was making a good recovery and showing no ill effects following her unusual meal.

Vet Monique Strange, who runs the Companion Care surgery with husband Malcolm Rose in Cambridge, said: "I've heard of dogs swallowing some strange things, but never a choke chain.

"I think she may have a metal fetish because she tried to eat the scissors when she was being looked at.

"I have warned the owners about it because they can try to eat similar things again. But it wasn't a particularly complicated operation and she made a full recovery."