Like many girls, Alice has a thing for shoes – eating shoes, that is.
So, when the four-year-old English bull terrier munched her way through half of one of owner Ben Portelli’s work boots last month, he and wife Janiece didn’t think it would result in life-or-death vet surgery costing $8200.
“I came home and she had the shoe in her dog house, but there were bits of leather around her kennel so I thought maybe she hasn’t actually eaten anything,” Mrs Portelli said.
A week later, the Seabrook pair rushed Alice to the emergency ward at the University of Melbourne Vet Hospital at Hoppers Crossing after she started throwing up bile. Abdominal X-rays revealed three metal shoelace hooks in Alice’s stomach and intestine.
An emergency surgery and anaesthesia team were called in to remove the hooks.
“The surgeon rang me to say she had a 20 per cent chance of making it through the night,” Mrs Portelli said.
“I was really upset and the next day she had to be put on oxygen because she wasn’t doing so well.
“I went in later that day expecting to see a dog that was dying and out she walked, doing fantastically.”
Operating surgeon Takanori Sugiyama said Alice made a miraculous recovery after five days in intensive care, and her two-week follow-up visit showed her wound had completely healed.
Dr Sugiyama said it was common for dogs to eat household items and clothes, but Alice’s boot snack had caused significant damage to her intestines.
“Alice is a lucky girl to be healthy and happy again,” Dr Sugiyama said.
The surgery set back the Portellis $8200, but Mr Portelli said he would pay it again in a heartbeat.
“I wouldn’t hesitate; I’d sell whatever I had if I couldn’t afford it.
“It’s amazing – we don’t know how she survived.”
Mr Portelli said Alice had a penchant for chewing her way through shoes and other apparel, including belts and thongs.
The Portellis said they would have to exercise extreme caution from now on – including hiding their shoe collections – to prevent any chance of a similar crisis arising again.
