A Staffordshire Bull Terrier stunned vets after a piece of carpet was found lodged in its stomach.

Four-year-old Buster, from Preston, was taken to the PDSA vets in Blackpool after his owner, 23-year-old Jamie-Liegh Richardson, noticed that the usually lively terrier wasn't eating. 

X-rays revealed that there was a huge mass stuck in Buster's stomach and he was rushed into theatre where he underwent life-saving surgery.

Jamie-Leigh says Buster has a big appetite but still didn't expect the terrier to have eaten a portion of rug.

He said: “Buster is usually full of beans so I was really worried when he wasn’t acting himself.  Instead of running around the house and playing with the children, he was out of sorts and down in the dumps.

“Buster has a big appetite, but I was so shocked when the vet showed us the piece of carpet following surgery."

Left untreated, the carpet could have caused a fatal blockage or tears in the Buster's gut.

PDSA Vet Jennifer Jackson was able to carry out the successful operation and Buster was discharged a few days later after rest and recovery.

She said: “We see dogs that eat strange things all the time, but I can’t say I have ever had to remove a piece of carpet before.

"Objects can sometimes sit in the stomach for a while, but they cause problems when they move into the guts, which are much narrower.

"It was a good job Jamie-Leigh brought Buster in when she did.

"He’d eaten huge amounts of carpet which could have had deadly consequences if any more had tried to move into his guts.”

According to PDSA, dogs can be naturally curious and like to use their mouths to investigate objects. 

This is more common with puppies and younger dogs but some older pets can sometimes swallow items by mistake.

 This can be quite dangerous, as many items could cause a gut blockage and some might also be toxic or sharp.

Owners are advised to speak to their vet for advice as soon as possible if they suspect their pet has eaten something they shouldn’t have.