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Dog’s teeth glued together after chewing on a flyer
Oscar was given a general anaesthetic so that vets could remove the “paper mâché-like” substance.
Jack Russell was rushed to vets for emergency treatment

A dog found himself in a sticky situation after chewing on a glossy leaflet that left his teeth glued together.

Ten-year-old Oscar had to be rushed to the vets for emergency treatment after he was unable to open his mouth. The Jack Russell was given a general anaesthetic so that vets could remove the “papier mâché-like” substance which had coated his jaws.

“Oscar was brought into us in an extremely distressed state. Chewing the leaflet had turned into a sticky wallpaper-like substance inside his mouth, which had glued his teeth together,” explained PDSA vet Rachel Smith.

“Once he was anaesthetised, we used our dentistry equipment to remove it from his mouth. Thankfully he made a good recovery and he was able to go home the same day.”

Owner Pat Finnerty said she had gone shopping with her daughter, and returned home around an hour later to find Oscar in an extremely anxious state.

“I brought him back a treat and he wanted to eat it, but he couldn’t open his mouth and there was all this saliva everywhere,” she said. “When I looked closer at his mouth, I could see that he couldn’t open his jaw but I didn’t know what it was.

“I then noticed a chewed up leaflet that must have been posted through the letterbox and realised what had happened.”

They contacted the PDSA and were advised to take Oscar to the Charity’s Blackpool Pet Hospital for emergency treatment. Pat said that she was hugely grateful for Oscar’s treatment and now takes extra care to prevent him from playing with the mail.

“He hasn’t learned his lesson and, given the chance, he still tries to get the post. I now take extra care to shut the door between the lounge and the front door when I go out. Oscar means the world to us, so I don’t want him getting into trouble again!”

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Equine Disease Surveillance report released for Q4 2025

News Story 1
 The latest Equine Disease Surveillance report has been released, with details on equine disease from Q4 of 2025.

The report, produced by Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, includes advice on rule changes for equine influenza vaccination.

Statistics and maps detail recent outbreaks of equine herpes virus, equine influenza, equine strangles and equine grass sickness. A series of laboratory reports provides data on virology, bacteriology, parasitology and toxicosis.

This issue also features a case study of orthoflavivus-associated neurological disease in a horse in the UK. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NSA webinar explores sheep tailing and castration

The National Sheep Association (NSA) is to host a free webinar on the castration and tail docking of lambs.

The webinar, 'Understanding the tailing and castration consultation: A guide for sheep farmers', will be hosted online on Monday, 2 March 2026 at 7.30pm.

It comes during a government consultation into the methods used for these procedures. Farmers are encouraged to engage before the consultation period closes on Monday, 9 March 2026.

The webinar offers clear and actionable guidance to support farmers to contribute meaningfully to the consultation and prepare for potential changes.

On the panel will be former SVS president Kate Hovers, farmer and vet Ann Van Eetvelt and SRUC professor in Animal Health and Veterinary Sciences Cathy Dwyer. Each panel member will utilise their own specialism and expertise to evaluate risks and outcomes to sheep farming.

Find out more about the webinar on the NSA website.