A dog named Wilson was left feeling under par, after gobbling up a staggering seven golf balls. Owner Tim Norris rushed Wilson to the vet thinking his pet had swallowed a single ball at Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club. But an X-ray revealed that Wilson, a chocolate Labrador, had actually swallowed seven balls.
"Our dog walker let Wilson off the lead," Norris said, "and we think he must have found a basket full of practice balls somewhere near the golf club. He probably thought they were dog biscuits." But when they rushed Wilson to the vet they were shocked to discover that he'd eaten seven golf balls. Norris added, "Chocolate Labradors are incredibly greedy dogs and Wilson is no different. They will eat anything they think is food. I have since bought a muzzle for him, because at 18 months he still has a lot to learn." Wilson underwent an exploratory operation at Forest Lodge to remove the golf balls (a golfballectomy?).
According to Karen Belcher, the head veterinary nurse, said, "I don't know whether the golf balls were covered in something that seemed tasty, but to eat seven he must have liked them." Belcher explained that one more ball could have ruptured Wilson's stomach and killed the dog. "Seven balls was probably the limit for him," she said.
Wilson was released from the vets' office the day after surgery and has since made a speedy recovery—though he's still in the doghouse.
