This is the happy ending story of a mother, a daughter, a mischievous cat, and a skilled veterinarian. It should serve as a reminder of how easily cats can get themselves into trouble that often proves fatal.
Kineton, UK resident Barbara McClelland-Welbourn and her daughter Imogene have an 18-month-old cat named Erik. One Saturday morning Imogene spotted a thread sticking out of Erik’s mouth. When Barbara tried to remove the thread Erik made a noise telling them he was in pain.
Barbara was convinced Erik had swallowed a needle as well as the thread attached to it. She immediately contacted Avonvale Veterinary Centers’ emergency service and took Erik to Warwick hospital.
It was confirmed through an x-ray ordered by Avonvale clinical director Simon Davies that Erik had swallowed the needle and it had lodged sideways in his neck. Davies stated in an interview with Warwick Courier
“The position it was stuck in meant we were able to cut a very small hole in Erik’s neck and simply pull it out that way, with the thread and needle still attached to each other. If it had not lodged and had instead travelled down to his stomach it could have been a far more serious situation.”
The needle in the neck accident makes the second time Simon has saved Erik’s life. Erik was removed from his cat mom at too young of an age and got a very bad infection. Simon saved him then too.
Erik had to spend three nights in the intensive care unit. Barbara and Imogene call their veterinarian a hero.
Foreign object ingestion happens a lot more often than you might think. Cats (and dogs) are curious creatures and the stories are out the where cats have ingested various strange objects we as cat owners don’t think twice about that we leave within reach.
I’ve listed a few foreign object articles below. Feel free to add any stories you may have of your cat or dog ingesting something dangerous (and expensive to remove).
Other foreign object articles listed below
Kitty swallows coin that was still ‘toxic’ to his system after being surgically removed
New York Cat is Lucky to be Alive after Swallowing a Wishbone
Hanger straps on a blouse or dress can be harmful or fatal to cats
