When Lexi the Staffordshire Bull Terrier was brought into her local vet, her owner Tonka thought she had an upset stomach.
This poor pooch clearly bit off more than she could chew.
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When Lexi the Staffordshire bull terrier was brought into her local vet, her owner Tonka thought she had an upset stomach.
But when her vet took X-rays to figure out why she was vomiting, they discovered a horrifying sight: an 8-inch steak steak knife was lodged in her stomach.
"I thought she was going to die," Tonka said in an interview with Australia's Animal Referral Hospital. "I broke down in tears just seeing it."
According to the hospital's Facebook post, veterinary dentist Dr. Christine Hawke speculated Lexi might have accidently swallowed the knife due to of orthodontic issues, a problem common in her breed.
"The dog has a sore mouth because their teeth push into their gums," Hawke explained, "and to stop the pain, they'll often bite on something hard."
Veterinarians suspected Lexie was only inches away from death, so the poor pup was sent to specialists, who spent the next 45 minutes maneuvering the knife out of her esophagus.
"The hardest part was not to have it slice through tissues," said Dr. Jody Broduck, who led the team that rescued the pooch.
After a successful team effort, the knife was removed and Lexi was on her way to recovery.
Read: A Pooped Puppy and A Tired Cop Fall Asleep at Animal Shelter, Then Officer Finds Dog New Home
Doctors monitored the pup's recovery for the next three days, where they confirmed she could eat without pain, and her wounds were not infected.
After another ten days of strict bed rest from home, Lexi will be a happy puppy once again — as long as she doesn't sneak off with any more steak knives.
Watch: Rescued Calf and Puppy Are Inseparable: 'They Loved Each Other From Day One'
