August 27, 2026
Vets at Pride Veterinary Referrals in Derby have successfully detected and removed a barbecue skewer from Marley, a one-year-old Labrador, following months of investigation into a wound that refused to heal.
As part of an ongoing summer campaign with the RSPCA, inspiring vet care have been sharing some of the common hazards pets can face during hot weather to help owners stay vigilant and keep their pets safe.
With many pet owners set to spend more time outdoors this bank holiday weekend, Marley’s case provides a timely reminder of the risks barbecues can pose to pets.
According to new figures, inspiring vet care practices dealt with 2,309 injuries associated with common barbecue foods in 2025, with bones, corn cobs and skewers among the items ingested by pets. These items can cause obstruction or in some cases, life-threatening complications, often without owners realising their pet has swallowed anything.
While on holiday, owners Ian and Victoria first noticed a small swelling on Marley’s rear they thought to be a bite or sting. They quickly took her to a local vet to get examined and were prescribed some antibiotics. Once back in the UK, they brought her to their usual vets who took swabs and tried further antibiotics.
Despite showing no other symptoms, Marley’s wound still failed to heal over the following weeks, so she was referred to Pride Veterinary Referrals for further investigation.
The Pride team initially carried out diagnostic imaging, including an ultrasound, which showed a tract extending through Marley’s body. However, a CT scan revealed the cause – a six-inch wooden barbecue skewer.
“Marley was extremely fortunate,” explained Rodrigo Ventura, Veterinary Surgeon at Pride Referrals. “Wooden foreign bodies can be challenging to diagnose because they are often not visible on standard radiographs.
“But what makes this case particularly unusual is that the skewer remained undetected for such a long period. It had been present within her body for several months and was located very close to vital structures.
“If it had moved slightly differently, it could have caused life-threatening damage to the abdominal organs or severe infection."
Shocked at the discovery, Ian and Victoria concluded that Marley had most likely swallowed the skewer out of sight while they were on holiday.
“We were amazed when we found out the problem was caused by such a long skewer,” said Ian. “Marley had been chasing balls and jumping in the sea with it in there and it could so easily have moved in a different way and done so much damage.”
Fortunately, the Pride team were able to operate to remove the skewer before it could cause serious damage. Marley then spent two days under the close care of the Pride team before returning home and has since made a full recovery.
Ian and Victoria shared thanks to the team: “We’re just so grateful to Pride Veterinary Referrals for finding the skewer and managing to get it out safely.”
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