An Ayrshire veterinary practice saved a much-loved dog who needed almost four feet of intestine removed after swallowing a mysterious object.

English Mastiff Nala was taken to Collier and Brock Vets in Troon after being unwell for two days.

X-ray scans revealed something round and plastic stuck in her intestine.

Clinical director Mara Artuffo Binning operated on Nala to remove the obstruction, which is believed to have been part of a toy, and ended up removing 1.2 metres of the dog's intestine - almost four feet - because of extensive tissue damage.

Two-and-a-half-year-old Nala was gravely ill, but pulled through following the operation and two days of round-the-clock care from the dedicated veterinary team.

She has since gone on to make a full recovery.

Mara, who joined as Collier and Brock Vets’ clinical director in the summer, said: “We didn’t know if Nala was going to survive.

"The foreign body had done so much damage to Nala’s intestines, I had to remove a large part of it. It was a lengthy operation involving a very sick dog, and we had no guarantee that it would mend properly.

“However, she responded well and is thriving and doing really well now. Despite everything Nala has been through, she bounds through the doors of the practice every time, rushes up to the reception desk for treats and cuddles, and loves everybody here.

"It’s wonderful to see her so well and happy.”

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Owner Nicole Anderson paid tribute to the surgery for saving Nala’s life and for their ongoing support as she adapts to a different diet.

Nala now has to stick to food which is easier to digest, as she cannot process food as well as she would with a full intestine.

Nicole said: “She had sickness and diarrhoea, then started shaking on the second night.

"I took her to the vets, and they put her on an IV drip because she was very dehydrated. She has never been into chewing, but she had obviously picked something up and swallowed it.

“It was such a big operation, and I didn’t know if she was going to make it, but I had to give her the best chance as she is still a young dog.

"The care she got was amazing. If it wasn’t for the veterinary team, she wouldn’t have made it.

“She was in and out of the vets for the full week. They were concerned that she wasn’t drinking or eating well, and her weight had dropped to 43kg.

“Every time I picked her up, she came out and her tail was wagging. You wouldn’t have thought she had been so ill.

"They all just love her at the vets and give her cuddles when we go in. I can’t thank them enough.

“She is back to her old self. Her weight was up to 53 kg at her last check-up. I can’t believe how quickly she has bounced back.”

Collier and Brock Vets are now urging pet owners to seek prompt veterinary advice if they suspect their dog has swallowed something they shouldn’t have.