This tale highlights the incredible value of having a specialist endoscopy service at Orchard House. More importantly, it showcases why an experienced vet can make all the difference…

Meet Ziggy, a typical puppy with a zest for life! This 15-month-old Cocker Spaniel is always happy and bouncy. On a recent adventure, Ziggy was bounding through a field, leaping up and down through the tall grasses like a joyful Tigger. He was having the time of his life! But on the way back, Ziggy started coughing. He even coughed up some mucous with blood and bits of dried grass. His worried owner rushed him in for an urgent appointment early on a Saturday afternoon.

By the time Ziggy arrived, he was back to his usual self, full of joy and bounce. However, Tim, the vet who saw him, had seen similar cases before. Tim suspected that Ziggy might have inhaled a grass seed, which could be lodged in his lung. Tim strongly recommended an anaesthetic and bronchoscopy, using a flexible endoscope to examine Ziggy’s airways. Ziggy’s owners were initially sceptical; after all, Ziggy seemed fine. But Tim’s persistence paid off, and they agreed to proceed.

Sure enough, our endoscopy specialist Sophie discovered an 80mm grass seed in Ziggy’s left lung, nestled in one of the small airways or bronchi. With the scope, we were able to grab the grass seed and pull it out through Ziggy’s windpipe and mouth.

The grass seed measured in at a whopping 80mm.

Ziggy was quickly awake and back home with his owners within an hour. He was one lucky dog! If the grass seed had been left in his lung, he might have needed major, very expensive surgery to remove a lung. He could have even died. Fortunately, Ziggy was in the capable hands of an experienced veterinary team, equipped with specialist tools that allowed them to retrieve the grass seed before it caused further damage.

Ziggy might think twice before bouncing through long grass again… but probably not.

Learn more about Endoscopy