The informative book not only walks pet families through the adventures of a veterinary visit due to ingesting a nonfood item, it also makes a great gift this holiday season.

Dr. Laura Lefkowitz she has many talents and her latest creative venture proves just that. She recently wrote and published a fun, informative book for pet owners who may find themselves in a veterinary hospital exam room with their pet.

One common emergency occurs after a pet ingests a nonfood item. Dr. Lefkowitz, who has worked as an ER veterinarian for more than ten years, 

says she has seen more than her fair share of household items on the inside of a furry family friend. “The array of objects that I have seen animals eat is simply amazing—stuffed toys, pillows, dentures, carpet fragments, a shish kebab skewer, toy cars, underwear, socks—even a toothbrush; it’s an endless list as any member of the veterinary community can attest.”

Her goal fo
r the book was to help families understand treatments utilized in this situation.
“I wanted an easy-to-read, educational tool that explained to owners and families the medical and surgical processes that may be performed if an object gets stuck inside their dog,” says Dr. Lefkowitz.“And that it is a serious medical situation.”

“If an owner suspects a dog has eaten something unusual, or if a dog repeatedly vomits, veterinary care should be pursued as soon as possible. An object stuck in an animal for too long can tear through the intestinal wall and this can quickly deteriorate into a life-threatening situation.”

Using actual X-ray images, Dr. Lefkowitz illustrates that a hard plastic or metal object (like a small toy)
is usually easily visible on an X-ray. However, if a pet munches on fabric, strings, cloth, or rubber items, an X-ray alone is often not sufficient enough to distinguish the foreign object from the dog’s intestinal tract.

“The book provides veterinarians a quick means to demonstrate how easily some objects are to find and how difficult others can be—an extremely critical point as a pet’s family must then decide whether or not to pursue surgery.”

The book demonstrates Dr. Lefkowitz’ love of her job and desire to educate the public.

“I truly love being an ER veterinarian! I enjoy the wide variety of medical problems that I treat. I find it satisfying to provide the needed medical care to help a really sick or injured animal. I also enjoy alleviating an owner’s concerns and educating them about their animal’s disease.”

Her most memorable veterinary emergency case? She said that although she has seen a lot of crazy things, one dog’s predicament stands out. “A client brought their coffee table in and I quickly realized that her dog was attached to the table! Somehow, he had managed to get his leg stuck in the steel latticework of the table’s legs. In fact, the dog’s limb was so jammed and swollen that we had to call the local fire department to cut the steel off the dog (once he was anesthetized).” The dog made a full recovery; the coffee table? Not so much.

The comical illustrations throughout the book are simply delightful. They were created by a talented, local Boise illustrator and were intended for both children and adults to enjoy. Dr. Lefkowitz plans to collaborate with him again to create a series of educational, fun books for veterinary exam rooms and for pet owner’s enjoyment.

With the holiday season upon us, this book makes a great gift for pet owners, your favorite veterinarian, or another member of the animal industry. You may purchase Did My Dog Eat A Rock?  Did My Dog Eat A Sock? HERE  or at Northwest Pets. Visit her Facebook page “Ate A Rock” to share your stories of what your crazy pet may have eaten. You’re welcome to post a photo of your pet along with your story.

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