Benji is an adorable eight-year-old German Shepherd. A dog who clearly has the Christmas spirit.
A poorly dog
Just before Christmas about six years ago, whilst Olivia Mullen was still at work, her mother rang her, saying she was worried because Benji seemed unwell. At the same time, she couldn't find the Christmas tree lights anywhere that she'd got ready to decorate the tree a bit later.
It was impossible to know where the string of lights had gone, which measured a good 31 inches! Could Benji be responsible for this disappearance?
Olivia quickly got home and went to the vet with her dog. He had an X-ray so the vet could understand the situation. Imagine everyone's surprise when they discovered the string of lights in the dog's stomach, which he'd eaten the lot! Or rather swallowed.
Olivia was doubly surprised, as Benji had never shown any interest in eating objects such as slippers or toys. The vet explained that shiny things are an extra source of interest for animals.
Benji in surgery
Benji quickly had to undergo an operation to remove the string of lights from his stomach, as this was obviously very dangerous. Fortunately, everything went well for the dog, who was soon able to go home, feeling much lighter!
