Dog’s tongue almost sliced off after it got stuck in rubber ball toy

A traumatized couple have told how their dog’s tongue was left hanging by a thread after it got stuck in a toy rubber ball.

Horrific photos show poor pooch Poppy with huge chunks of each side of her tongue missing after the tissue died when blood stopped flowing while it was stuck in the rubber dog ball.

When Poppy was unable to eat or drink properly after the unfortunate incident last month, owners Helen and James Hartley brought her to a veterinary clinic.

The veterinarian had to stitch the poor pup’s tongue back up, which was left almost sliced in half.

“It was really traumatic for us all. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for looking after Poppy. She’s been so well-loved by everybody at the surgery and we couldn’t have asked for a more dedicated team. Well done to you all, Poppy sends sloppy kisses,” Helen said online.

The couple returned home from work earlier this month to discover Poppy had got her tongue stuck in the air hole of a rubber dog ball.

After wrestling the ball from her mouth and tongue, they noticed despite seeming bright she was acting strangely.

Nurses spotted that the front half of Poppy’s tongue was swollen and there was a red line showing where the ball had affected the blood flow.

Aside from the marking, her tongue was pink and warm to the touch, and Poppy was happy to eat treats so she was given medication to manage the swelling and booked in for daily check-ups.

However, over the course of the week, the red line gradually changed into bruising, which started to smell and form white plaques on top.

Flesh on each side of the tongue then died, leaving Poppy with two giant slits on either side of her tongue where the ball had been.

During surgery all the dead tissue was removed and Poppy’s tongue was stitched back together.

“The surgery was successful and our nurses couldn’t believe it when Poppy ate and drank as soon as she woke up. We’re happy to report that Poppy’s tongue has pretty much healed now, she is using her tongue normally to drink and can still give plenty of kisses,” a Foxhall Veterinary Clinic spokesperson said.

The stitches are in place but will eventually dissolve. We’ve all grown very attached to Poppy here at Foxhall and we will miss her daily visits.

“Poppy’s owners wanted us to share her story to highlight the dangers of leaving your dog unattended with toys, no matter how innocent they seem.”