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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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Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BBC Radio 4 documentary addresses corporate fees

BBC Radio 4's File on 4 Investigates has released a documentary exploring how corporate-owned veterinary practices may be inflating bills to increase profit.

Released on 15 April, 'What's Happening To Your Vet Bills?' revealed the policies which many corporate groups have in place to increase their profits. This included targets and upgrades which veterinary teams are tasked with meeting on a regular basis.

It also features Anrich Vets, an independently-owned practice based in Wigan. Following the case of Staffordshire terrier Benjy, who is diagnosed with a tumour, the documentary shares how the team were able to offer contextualised care and advice to make the procedure as affordable as possible for his owners.

The documentary can be heard on demand on BBC iPlayer.