WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES
A 'traumatised' couple are warning dog owners about leaving pets unattended after their beloved pooch's tongue was nearly cut in half by getting stuck in a rubber ball toy.
Graphic images show poor Poppy with huge chunks of each side of her tongue missing after the tissue turned necrotic due to restricted blood flow earlier this month.
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Poppy's owners Helen and James Hartley returned home from work earlier this month to discover Poppy had got her tongue stuck in the air hole of a rubber dog ball.
After wrestling the ball from her mouth and tongue, they noticed that despite seeming bright Poppy was acting strangely so took her to Foxhall Veterinary Clinic in Ruskington, Lincolnshire.
There, nurses spotted that the front half of Poppy's tongue was very swollen and there was a red line showing where the ball had affected the blood flow.
Aside from the marking, her tongue was pink and warm to the touch and Poppy was happy to eat treats so was given medication to manage the swelling and booked in for daily check-ups.
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Over the course of the week the red line gradually changed into bruising, which started to smell foul and form white plaques on top.
This eventually turned necrotic and died, leaving Poppy with two giant slits on either side of her tongue where the ball had been. Poppy was left with her tongue dangling by only a central thread of flesh, the vets had to stitch it back up.
During surgery all the dead tissue was removed and Poppy's tongue was stitched back together.
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With Poppy now firmly on the road to recovery, the vets are sharing what happened to highlight the dangers of leaving any pet unattended with toys.
A Foxhall Veterinary Clinic spokesperson said: "The surgery was successful and our nurses couldn't believe it when Poppy ate and drank as soon as she woke up.
"We're happy to report that Poppy's tongue has pretty much healed now, she is using her tongue normally to drink and can still give plenty of kisses. The stitches are in place but will eventually dissolve.
"We've all grown very attached to Poppy here at Foxhall and we will miss her daily visits. Poppy's owners wanted us to share her story to highlight the dangers of leaving your dog unattended with toys, no matter how innocent they seem."
Helen, from Lincoln, Lincolnshire, wrote: "[It was] really traumatic for us all. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for looking after Poppy.
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"She's been so well loved by everybody at the surgery and we couldn't have asked for a more dedicated team. Well done to you all, Poppy sends sloppy kisses."
Get well soon, Poppy.
Featured Image Credit: Kennedy News and Media