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Great Dane swallows 43.5 socks, but loses contest

A spokesperson for the Oregon animal hospital that treated the dog said it's perhaps the strangest case in the hospital's history.

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DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital/AP
A 3-year-old Great Dane was miserable, retching and vomiting, when his owners rushed him to DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital, in Feb. X-rays showed a stomach full of what was described as 'a large quantity of foreign material.' Nearly two hours of surgery later, Dr. Ashley Magee said the dog had consumed 43 ½ socks.
  • By Staff Associated Press

| Portland, Ore.

The 3-year-old Great Dane was miserable and retching when its owners rushed him to a northwest Portland emergency animal hospital.

It was something he ate!

X-rays showed a stomach full of "a large quantity of foreign material." Nearly two hours of surgery later, Dr. Ashley Magee had the answer — the dog had consumed 43 ½ socks.

DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital spokeswoman Shawna Harch said it's perhaps the strangest case in the hospital's history, The Oregonian reported.

Harch said it's perhaps the strangest case in hospital history, and certainly the record set for the most socks eaten. The owners, she said, were unavailable for comment, and she couldn't release their names.

But I can imagine the conversation in their home the day they realized something was going on.

"Say, where are all the socks?"

"No idea. Did you check the washing machine?"

They look at the dog.

Tail wag. Innocent look.

Dog lies on the floor, but that gaze is really contemplation of a dress sock in the corner. It will be a nice after-dinner treat.

So strange that the hospital entered last February's tale, complete with X-rays, in an annual contest sponsored by the vet magazine, Veterinary Practice News, and won a prize. Fittingly enough, the contest is called "They Ate WHAT?"

Even stranger. The $1,500 first place winner was a Plano, Texas, animal hospital that treated an exotic frog that ate more than 30 small ornamental rocks from its cage.

The DoveLewis entry summary says the Great Dane was discharged home a day after surgery. Harch says the owners aren't available for comment but she confirms the dog is alive. No word on what he's eaten lately.

___

Information from: The Oregonian, http://www.oregonlive.com

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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