Pets love to explore their surroundings and their very own garden can be a place for them to play, wonder and pick up new scents. Although, at the same time a garden can prove hazardous to our pets. Here is more of Magnus’s story.
11-year-old, Australian Silky Terrier, Magnus was brought to Animal Trust Ellesmere Port after his owner, Miss Neil noticed that he had been urinating more than usual, as well as experiencing some vomiting and diarrhoea.
‘’Magnus hadn’t been acting like his usual self during the morning of his appointment and I realised he was passing small stones while weeing which concerned me.’’
During a free of charge consultation with Vet, Claudia Serra Magnus showed some discomfort during abdominal palpation and Claudia could feel foreign bodies, which matched the description of the stones that he was passing. Commenting on the case, Vet Claudia said; ‘’As Magnus’s owner could not explain the origin of the stones, and the suspicion that these could be coming from the urinary tract we went on to perform x-rays for a clearer picture’’.


An X-ray is a diagnostic procedure that can be performed to produce a clear image of what is going on inside an animals body. An X-ray can be used to help a vet diagnose varying conditions including; orthopaedic injuries, soft tissue damage, bone fractures and to assess the changes to a lump or cyst. In Magnus’s case, the X-ray provided us with a clear image of where the stones were inside his body and meant that we could move forward with the correct treatment plan for him; add’s Vet Claudia.
Following his X-rays, it became clear that Magnus had eaten stones from his garden and he had already begun passing them through his faeces. He was kept at our Ellesmere Port surgery as an in-patient for the day where he was placed on fluids and medication to help him to flush the stones out.
Chatting about the case, Vet Claudia said; ‘’While Magnus’s case may seem unusual, there are multiple hazards inside household gardens and owners should be aware of the range of them that can affect their pets.’’
‘’Magnus was lucky that his owner noticed his symptoms quickly and we have been able to act fast so there is no long-lasting damage.’’
Miss Neil, Magnus’s owner added; ‘’It was a really frightening time when Magnus began vomiting and experiencing diarrhoea as I wasn’t sure what the cause was. I’m so thankful to the whole team who helped to look after him and I will definitely be keeping a close eye on him when he is in the garden from now on.’’
If you’re concerned about your pet and want to learn more about how to make your garden pet-friendly, read our advice. As always, if you become concerned about your pet or notice something out of the ordinary, book a free consultation at your local Animal Trust surgery.