The story of ‘Spliff' the Staffy has clinched the title of the National Office of Animal Health nationwide search for the most striking ‘it shouldn't happen to a pet' anecdote.  Submitted by Vets4Pets in Grimsby, the practice will receive a prize of £500 towards the staff Christmas party.

In a campaign to raise awareness of the importance of animal health and welfare considerations amongst pet owners and potential owners, NOAH has recently launched the new Pet Health Information website (www.pethealthinfo.org.uk) to enable them to make informed decisions about their pet's healthcare.

In Spliff's case, the website could have helped solve a number of queries. For Spliff it all started with a visit to the vet for a minor operation to cure a simple earache.

The problems started as Spliff was about to leave the practice, with a shiny new bucket collar. However, his owner explained that Spliff is a bit of a snappy dresser, and if it isn't bling, he's not interested. Despite the practice's advice, he insisted the collar was removed so he could take Spliff home to recover.

The very next day, the phone started ringing ‘Spliff's scratching his ear - we need a collar.' Far too busy to bring him round, the owner sent his girlfriend to pick it up.

Problem solved - surely? Nope. The phone continued to ring.  Spliff was ‘going nuts!' Apparently the dog was unable to walk, and was getting very distressed.

Finally, after nearly 24 hours of increasingly frantic calls, Spliff's owner brought him in. He arrived insisting that the vet came out to the car, as Spliff still couldn't walk. Not a common side effect of a minor operation on the ear, so it was a worry.

All became very clear when the vet reached the car, the ear was healing up nicely, and Spliff's paralysis was easily solved. They had put his bucket collar on the wrong way round, and every time he took a step - his front feet got trapped in the collar.  

Rather than collapse in a heap, Spliff, in one of the first sensible decisions of his life, chose not to move at all.  Mystery duly solved, Spliff went on to make a full recovery.  

Sounds like the owner should probably smoke a bit less of it.

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