Beloved dog named Boris is left fighting for life after swallowing a chicken kebab skewer at a family barbecue – before his devastated owners fork out $13K to save him
- Beloved pet dog had life-saving surgery after he ate a chicken kebab skewer
- Boris the Bernese Mountain dog ate the skewer at a barbecue in January
- Month later he started to show symptoms and his owners took him to the vets
- The vet said Boris needed emergency heart surgery or face being put down
- Boris is now back to health but his owners face a $13k bill in vet charges
A beloved pet dog who got a kebab skewer stuck in his heart has survived the near-fatal accident after undergoing emergency surgery.
Boris, a Bernese Mountain dog, was forced to undergo the life-saving surgery, which cost a staggering $13,000, after he helped himself to a chicken kebab skewer while his owners hosted a family barbecue.
The pet pooch had gobbled the skewer in January, and it was one month later he started to show some strange symptoms.
Boris the Bernese Mountain dog (pictured) had to undergo the life-saving surgery worth a staggering $13k
While he appeared to have passed some bits of sticks and escaped any major harm, as time went on his health started to deteriorate.
After numerous visits to the vets, his owners said they noticed that Boris started to cough up blood.
‘They gave him a chest X-ray and found that he had fluid around his heart,’ Allison Lonergan told ABC.
Shortly after the X-ray the veterinarians at North Hobart Veterinary Clinic uncovered what had been making poor Boris so unwell.
After numerous visits to the vets, his owners said they noticed that Boris (pictured) started to cough up blood
(File picture) Shortly after the X-ray the veterinarians at North Hobart Veterinary Clinic uncovered what had been making poor Boris so unwell, he had a kebab skewer stuck in his heart
‘The doctor comes out and says, ‘we’ve got a situation — Boris has a kebab skewer in his heart”,’ Ms Lonergan said.
‘A piece of skewer had moved from his stomach, through a lung and was penetrating the left side of his heart,’ North Hobart Veterinary Hospital confirmed.
Ms Lonergan said the experts warned Boris needed to undergo emergency surgery or face being put down.
And of course, Boris’ loving owner opted for the surgery.
The vet told Ms Lonergan that the skewer was just millimetres away from Boris’ (pictured) artery and if it had been any closer it could’ve been the end of Boris
‘Emergency surgery was performed that day to remove the stick and repair his lung,’ the North Hobart Veterinary said in a statement.
‘He was a very sick boy but has bounced back amazingly well – he visited us yesterday for his surgery recheck and was so bouncy and happy. What a champion,’ the statement concluded.
The vet told Ms Lonergan that the skewer was just millimetres away from Boris’ artery and if it had been any closer it could’ve been the end of Boris.
The family paid $13,000 in vet bills and have said they’ll be overcautious when it comes to making sure Boris doesn’t eat another chicken skewer ever again.