redearslider.com

Posted on Thu, Feb. 15, 2007
Turtle eaten by golden retriever lives
Associated Press

BRANDON, Fla. - A palm-sized pet turtle and the golden retriever that gobbled it up survived the misadventure thanks to the quick actions of a 12-year-old girl, a veterinarian said.

The saga of Pepper the red-eared slider turtle and Bella the golden retriever started last week. Shelby Terihay, 12, moved her pet pond turtles indoors to protect them from a cold snap - a plan that worked well until Bella found some of the turtles in a bathtub, The Tampa Tribune reported.

A quick headcount confirmed Bella had swallowed one of the turtles. Shelby insisted on a rescue mission and, on the advice of a vet, her parents made Bella vomit. Out came Pepper, still alive despite a shattered shell and an estimated 10 minutes inside Bella's belly.

"This was definitely a first for me," veterinarian David Thomassy said.

Thomassy patched up Pepper's shell and credited Shelby with saving Bella, too.

"The turtle would definitely have caused an obstruction," Thomassy said. "Without cutting it out directly, it eventually would have killed the dog."

Good grief!!!!

I wonder how the turtle is now?

That's crazy.

I think they were more concerned about the dog becoming hurt than the poor turtle swimming in hydrochloric acid!

I agree... poor thing probably had a bunch of holes in its lungs while swimming in the acid. = \

Our family is getting a golden retreiver soon.......I'm starting to think if it's a bad idea.

This is the one we are going to get.

if you take the proper precautions u will be fine, if you look those turtles were in a bathtub

Holy crap... imagine how stressful that must have been for the poor turtle

That retriever puppy is just too cute! Like a stuffed animal. A dog in a household with a RES really isn't a problem - you just have to keep them separate.

That is one sweet puppy! He(?) looks like the one in the Charmin commercials.

It's a girl and her name is Jenny. We might bring her home on May. I hope Peanut won't get into the same situation as Pepper

Just take the necessary precautions, and everybody should be fine.

I have two dogs. They are very curious about my turts. Whenever I have them out, I am in the same room, and the dogs are kept out. They say when you bring home a new baby, you must first bring in items that smell like the baby and make the dog submit to them so that they understand the baby is higher in the hierarchy. I don't know if this works but... I often allow them to smell the fishnet, or the scooper, or the basking rock when cleaning. Tehn I make them sit next to it, and if they look at it, I growl. Eventually the dogs lay next to it and ignore it, and then I tell them tehy are good.

This is JUST IN CASE they are ever somehow in the same room as the turts. That said, I don't get to let my turts out as much as I'd like. Only about once a month They don't seem to mind though. When they are out they just hide along the side of the walls. (I leave blankets and towles for them to find as hiding spots.) Anyhoo, we've had them all for about... 6-8 months and no incidences yet.

In fact.... when the kids down the block come to see the turtles, Bella often gets between them and the tank and will lay down or will generally be a nuisance to get them away. I think she's protecting them.