The PDSA is running an emergency service during lockdown and when a hungry hound ended up needing emergency treatment, the Nottingham branch was there to help.

Bonnie, a 10-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier cross, had been given her favourite fish as a teatime treat, but when her owner put the discarded tin in the recycling bin, Bonnie saw her chance for an extra helping and got her tongue stuck in the can.

“We heard some scuffling in the kitchen and the next thing we saw was a tuna can stuck to her face,” said owner Louisa Davis (45) from Nottingham. “It was shocking to see. Her tongue was trapped in the can and I tried to remove it myself but the tin was so sharp I didn’t want to make it worse and badly cut her. I called PDSA to see if they could help, and they told me to bring her straight in.”

Louise took Bonnie to Nottingham PDSA Pet Hospital, where vets are running an emergency-service during the coronavirus lockdown.

Bonnie was seen immediately for urgent treatment. She was becoming increasingly distressed, and the stuck tin was causing her pain.

PDSA Vet Sarah Campbell explained that removing the can would be too risky to do with her awake as she was becoming more anxious. She was given an anaesthetic so it could be removed safely by the vet team.

Sarah said, “Once she was under the anaesthetic the can was relatively easy to remove. We were able to carefully remove it so the cut to her tongue was small and luckily she didn’t need any stitches.

“It was a very unusual case to see, which could have become very serious if the tin had cut the tongue deeply. But thankfully we were able to remove the can safely and Bonnie was able to go home the same day to recover from her ordeal.”

Louisa said she was incredibly grateful to PDSA for the treatment Bonnie received, especially during lockdown when many vets are only open for emergencies.

Louisa added, “Bonnie has never done anything like this before but it’s a lesson learnt and we’ll be keeping a close eye on her to avoid something like this happening again.”

In times of uncertainty and hardship, much-loved pets like Bonnie will still need emergency care. That’s when PDSA steps in to help, but they are facing a crisis and need your help.

PDSA’s veterinary care – which is a lifeline to so many owners across the UK – costs £60 million a year to run. But with retail shops closed and fundraising events cancelled, the charity is losing around £3 million a month in income.

And with the country plunged into financial uncertainly, and more than a million extra Universal Credit claims, PDSA expects the number of pets needing care will increase by around 50,000.

Please help today by donating to ensure much loved pets have a tomorrow www.pdsa.org.uk/appeal.

The PDSA has confirmed that its Bournemouth Hospital is continuing its emergency-only cover for local pets in need.

For information, there are safe can openers available in kitchen shops, hardware stores and online – these are well worth using in the home because they remove the lid completely without leaving any sharp edges.