A family's beloved springer spaniel had a near death experience after swallowing a stone.

The stone got lodged in the small intestine and the blockage was such that there was no way it would have been able to pass naturally.

Without an urgent operation, there was a risk of 18-month-old Leo having to be put down.

Emergency surgery at Isle Vet Group in Ely managed to save him.

“Other than the obstruction, Leo was a very healthy young dog, so we wanted to give him every chance,” said vet Alastair Barnes.

“Time was of the essence, so we operated straight away and did what’s called laparotomy where we were able to remove the stone.”

Even with the operation underway, owner Amanda Scott knew Leo wasn’t out of the woods.

“We had lost our first spaniel to a bleed on the brain after an operation for the same thing 10 years ago,” said Amanda.

“And my brother had a dog from the same litter that also swallowed a stone and died. So, it was such a relief when we got the call to say it had all gone well.”

Mum-of-two Amanda dreaded the impact on three-year-old son Sebastian who dotes on Leo.


“Sebastian came with me to pick him up and I wasn’t allowed to touch Leo, he insisted on walking him out.

“He was so proud and happy.

“It meant everything, and I can’t thank the vets enough for all they did.

“Now we’re watching Leo every moment to see he doesn’t eat anything else

Amanda said: “Leo is one of three dogs we have; we have an older spaniel called Oscar and a Labrador, Willow.

“Leo is the one who will eat absolutely anything, leaves, sticks, bedding just whatever he can get in his mouth.

“We have the dogs kennelled outside, with large pebbles outside for drainage.

“Without us noticing, he dug down and got to smaller stones underneath. We didn’t know he had eaten one.

“He’d been sick the next morning, but he was still eating and drinking a bit over the weekend.

By the Sunday night, though, he was just off and not himself, so I knew I needed to get the vet and called first thing the next morning.”

Amanda took Leo into Isle Vets where X-rays, scans and examinations showed there was a serious problem.