Northampton vets work magic to save TV star's dog with 54 bladder stones

The surgeons at Spinney Vets realised Blammo's life was at risk if they didn't remove the stones.

Top TV entertainer David Penn was in Las Vegas for a show when he received a transatlantic call from his dog-sitter Michelle Wilson saying she had rushed his beloved Samoyed pet, Blammo, to Spinney Vets’ emergency service.

The surgical team at Spinney, in Kettering Road, found eight-year-old Blammo had suffered a life-threatening, double rupture of the bladder and had developed 54 urinary stones. His life was in danger.

David, from Brixworth, said: "The vets said they'd never seen such damage to a bladder. they said they could operate and try to repair the damage, although the operation was a big risk in itself.

Blammo the stage dog developed 54 stones in his bladder.

"It was a truly traumatic time. I did not want him to suffer. I just stayed up all night by the phone waiting for news."

X-rays showed urinary stones had effectively caused Blammo's bladder to burst and would have been extremely painful.

Ian Fletcher, clinical director at Spinney Vets said: "When we began surgery, we found two tears in his bladder with all the surrounding tissue very sore and inflamed.

"We found and removed a total of 54 stones before stitching all the holes in his bladder very carefully."

Amazingly, Blammo has made a rapid recovery from the operation and was soon eating and drinking normally.

Iain said: "Blammo is a real fighter and with the help of the rapid intervention of his dog-sitter, he recovered incredibly well."

David said: “There’s no doubt that Michelle at Teddy’s Dog Care in Overstone saved Blammo’s life by taking him to Spinney Vets, so our whole family is indebted to her.”