A Staffordshire Bull Terrier in Scotland, named Rocco, began to worry its pet parents when it lost interest in eating and started vomiting. After rushing to their local vet’s office, an x-ray was performed of the dog’s abdomen, revealing the culprit: a Nintendo DS cartridge, lodged in the poor pup’s intestines.
The veterinarian performed emergency surgery to extract the cartridge. After recovering from his surgical procedure, the dog was able to return home, but the cartridge itself remains a baffling mystery. Rocco’s owner claims that their household has never owned a Nintendo DS or one of the games, and have indeed only owned the dog for a short time, as he was adopted just six months ago. These facts have led the owners to believe that Rocco may have eaten the cartridge long before they even met the dog, and it only recently became a health hazard, possibly due to shifting position. With over 50 million Nintendo DS units sold, there’s no telling where the dog could have met that cartridge.
Regardless of how Rocco got ahold of the Nintendo DS cartridge, it’s an important reminder for gamer owners to keep small gaming accessories far away from beloved pets. Rocco was lucky and received quick attention for his health concerns, as gastrointestinal blockages can quickly kill animals. According to his vet, if the cartridge had remained in Rocco’s guts any longer, it could have potentially pierced the dog’s internal organs.
Thankfully, this incident appears to have been a complete accident. While shocking events like these sometimes happen, in general, games can have beneficial effects for dogs and their owners. Pet shelters used Pokemon GO to bring in volunteers for walks, and some gamers and devs have gone so far as to memorialize their loved pets within the digital space of a game.
Source: Independent
