Boots surgically removed from dog's stomach

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- Veterinarians in Philadelphia said they operated to remove a pair of calf-high boots from the stomach of a footwear-loving dog.

Specialists at the Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center said the 4-year-old dog, Vince, was brought in by his owners Friday when they discovered he had ingested a large amount of a pair of calf-high woman's Frye boots.

"These X-rays are absolutely remarkable, especially given that you can see and count the number of eyelets on the boots," Dr. Laura Tseng, a board-certified specialist in critical care and emergency medicine with VSEC. "The sheer volume of what he ate is impressive and caused a very serious emergency situation."

Tseng said the leather had blocked Vince's small intestine and was removed via surgery Saturday.

A spokesman for the clinic said Vince's surgery was successful and he was expected to be released within the next few days.