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Dog saved after swallowing Nintendo game
Vets found the Nintendo DS game lodged in Rocco's small intestine.

Vets stunned to find DS game lodged in dog’s intestine

A rescue dog has been saved by PDSA vets in Glasgow after swallowing a Nintendo DS game.

Staffordshire bull terrier Rocco was admitted to the Shamrock Street pet hospital after his worried owners noticed he was vomiting and refusing to eat. He was rushed into emergency surgery after an x-ray revealed the rectangular-shaped object in his gut.

Vets say they were stunned to find the game lodged in his small intestine. Left untreated, it could have caused a fatal blockage.

Owner Sean Johnston, 27, said: “He wasn’t acting himself at all and we were worried he’d eaten a corn on the cob, but we were so shocked when the vet said it was from a video game!

“We don’t own a Nintendo or anything like that so we’re baffled as to where he got it from. He’s a rescue dog and we’ve only had him for about six months so the only thing we can think is that it was from his previous owners – who knows how long it’s been in there!”

PDSA senior vet Susan Hermit added: “We see dogs that eat strange things all the time but none of us had ever seen anything like this! Objects can sometimes sit in the stomach for a while, but they cause problems when they try and push through the guts, which are much narrower.

“It was a good job Sean brought Rocco in when he did, as an object of this size trying to pass through the guts could have caused a deadly blockage or pierced his internal organs.”

Image © PDSA

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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.