In a startling incident that highlights the curiosity of pets, a nine-month-old male Siberian husky named Tyson faced a life-threatening situation after swallowing an innerwear. The dramatic rescue was carried out successfully through a non-invasive endoscopic procedure at the Animal Health Pathology Lab (AHPL), a veterinary facility in south Kolkata.
A Swift Act on the Rooftop
The incident occurred at the family's residence in Bhadreshwar, Hooghly. Nikita Biswas, Tyson's owner, recounted that the dog was on the rooftop where garments were drying in the sun. "The incident happened in front of us and before we could do anything, Tyson swallowed the innerwear almost instantly," Biswas recalled. The family was immediately thrown into a state of panic.
They first rushed to a local veterinary doctor. From there, they were referred to a vet surgeon in Salt Lake, who ultimately directed them to the newly opened Animal Health Pathology Lab at Deshapriya Park. Rikita Biswas, Nikita's elder sister, confirmed the frantic journey to find the right help.
The Challenging Non-Invasive Procedure
By the time Tyson reached AHPL, nearly 36 hours had passed since the ingestion. Akash Dey, another family member, expressed their heightened worry, stating they were informed that the extraction would become far more difficult if the object moved from the stomach into the small intestine.
The surgical challenge was taken up by Suprodip Mondal, a performing veterinary endoscopic & laparoscopic surgeon at AHPL. He explained the complexity: "Removing the innerwear from the dog's stomach was highly challenging, as it was firmly adhered to the gastric wall. Traditionally, such cases often require invasive gastric surgery."
However, the team opted for a minimally invasive approach. "Using advanced endoscopic techniques with an alligator forceps, the foreign body was successfully retrieved without the need for invasive gastric surgery, thereby avoiding potential postoperative complications," Mondal added. The procedure cost the family approximately Rs 14,000.
A Happy Ending and a Warning to Pet Owners
The results were immediate and positive. The veterinary team confirmed that Tyson recovered right after the procedure and has since returned to a normal, healthy life. For the Biswas family, the relief was immense, especially given a recent tragedy. "We lost Tyson's father Sultan a month back suddenly and knew that a delay in surgery could lead to another disaster," said Nikita Biswas.
Protip Chakraborty, founder and CEO of AHPL, noted that while they have removed various foreign objects like balls, dolls, keys, and even safety pins from pets via endoscopy, an innerwear was a new addition to the list. This case serves as a critical reminder for pet owners across India to be vigilant about small, ingestible items in their homes. The successful use of advanced endoscopic techniques in Kolkata marks a significant step in accessible, non-invasive veterinary care for companion animals.
