A DOG with a taste for DIY has been nominated as Okeford Vets? Braveheart award winner for the month of August. Buster, a 12-month old labrador, was brought into the surgery after Okehampton owner Julie Abrams noticed some bolts and screws were missing from the kitchen table. Julie said: ?My husband had come home and emptied his bag, but when I got home, these nuts and bolts were missing ? they were sharp mirror screws ? I found one of them by his bed. ?Buster is terrible ? he eats absolutely everything. I?ve got two dogs and the other one isn?t like it, but this one?s a devil dog!? Buster was admitted to be sedated and x-rayed. The x-ray showed the missing screws and bolts, which appeared to be in his stomach. The vet decided they were too big and sharp to be left to pass naturally. The only option was to give Buster a general anaesthetic and surgically remove the screws and bolts ? a process called a laparotomy. Julie said: ?They found some other stuff in there as well, I think they found some sort of bandaging ? it must have been like opening up a whale!? After the operation, Buster made a good recovery and stayed at the surgery for three days. He was put on a special diet until his stomach had fully healed ? his stitches were removed ten days later. However, his experience does not seem to have put Buster off further adventurous tasting sessions: ?He?s a had a couple of pairs of trainers since then ? and he had my slippers this week,? said Julie.
