Meet Betsy the Milton Keynes dog that ate an entire fishing line complete with hook

A greedy dog caused Betsy caused a stir at a city vets practice when they discovered the secret she was hiding inside her.

Betsy’s owners took her in for a check when they noticed a piece of nylon line sticking out from her mouth,

The team at Milton Keynes Veterinary Group promptly carried out an X-ray – and could hardly believe what they saw.

An entire fishing line, complete with a hook at the end had become lodged in her oesophagus.

"Vets see a wide range of cases and conditions, but sometimes even they can be surprised!” said a spokesperson for the independent veterinary practice.

The vets were faced with two choices – cutting Betsy open for a major operation or trying to remove the line without causing nasty damage from the hook.

Vet Matthew Lloyd came to her the rescue, giving the dog an anaesthetic and using all his dexterity skills and specialist equipment to gently remove the hook and line through the mouth, avoiding complex surgery or referral.

"Betsy recovered well, with no damage to her mouth and was back home with her owners the same day,” said the spokesperson.

Matthew said “Betsy’s was a interesting case. To remove such a sharp hook without causing any additional damage was a real challenge and we are so pleased to have such a lovely outcome for Betsy and her owners”.

Last month was National Fishing Month and the RSPCA issued an urgent warning to new and inexperienced angler after the number of calls in 2022 reporting wildlife injured by fishing litter almost doubled nationally over the summer.

"Animals like swans, geese and even hedgehogs are swallowing lethal fish hooks or piercing their beaks, or their wings or legs are getting tangled up in fishing line," said a spokesman.

Milton Keynes wildlife rescuers also hit out at “mindless” anglers, whose equipment is causing record numbers of injuries locally this year. Their outburst caused a war of words between rescuers and fishing folk, with the latter blaming overcrowded lakes causing swans and birds to swim into their lines.

But Betsy is believe to the the first case of a dog being seriously endangered by fishing tackle.