Dogs in Portsmouth and Hampshire: Dog required emergency surgery at Portsmouth PDSA Pet Hospital after swallowing 14 screws

Four-year-old Cane Corso cross, Mazikine, got herself into a painful situation when she decided to swallow screws that were supposed to be used for an under-the-stairs dog kennel which was being built.

The screws were accidentally knocked onto the floor without Mazikine’s owner, Lola Mai-Wellington, realising.

Lola said: ‘My husband and I were in the process of converting the area under our stairs into a dog kennel for Mazikine. The pot of screws was on a shelf in there and someone must have knocked it off onto the floor, without us realising. Once I noticed them, I quickly swept them up, not knowing Mazikine had already spotted them.

‘Later that evening, I heard Mazikine being sick. There were screws and blood in her vomit. I was so worried and immediately called PDSA and took her in.’

The 32-year-old took Mazikine to Portsmouth PDSA Pet Hospital, in Durley Avenue, and the team were soon on hand to deal with the DIY dog emergency.

PDSA veterinary surgeon, Emily Sharp, said: ‘When Mazikine arrived at the Pet Hospital, she had already vomited up eight screws. We immediately admitted her for a sedation and X-rays which showed she’d a further six screws – five of which were in her stomach and one was in her intestine.

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‘The screws could cause serious internal damage such as tears in her stomach and intestines, so we took her to surgery straight away to remove them.’

The surgery went well and Mazikine was soon back on her paws and back to normal, but the procedure came at a cost of £887.71 which was a concern for Lola who would not have been able to have paid the full total.

The charity helped the family with the costs of the surgery and Lola cannot sing the team’s praises enough.

She said: ‘We couldn’t have afforded to pay the full cost of Maz’s treatment. I think about money constantly. We have to budget carefully and work out where money is going each month. But Maz has helped our family through so much and we’d do anything for her. Despite being named after a devilish character in the TV show Lucifer, in reality, Mazikine is a gentle giant.

‘The staff are so lovely, approachable and genuinely want to help. They’re my first port of call if anything happens to my pets. I can’t fault them. If you’re considering donating, definitely do it.’

PDSA is the UK’s leading veterinary charity and through its 48 pet hospitals across the UK, the charity saves the lives of poorly pets who would otherwise be left untreated.

Every year, PDSA helps over 388,000 pets and without the charity, emergency cases like Mazikine's would be left untreated and many pets could lose their lives or be separated from families who love them.

For more information about the charity and what they do, including how to contact them, click the link.