As pet owners, it pains us to see our furry friends have injuries or be sick.

So we can’t imagine what this couple had gone through when they realized that their pooch would have to lose a quarter of his tongue.

It was all fun and games for Poppy, a black Labrador, until her tongue got stuck inside a rubber ball. Helen and James Hartley, Poppy’s parents, had to wrestle the rubber ball from her mouth.

Once they succeeded in pulling the ball out of Poppy’s mouth, they noticed her behaving a bit strangely.

Turns out, it was just the start of Poppy’s fight to get back her abilities to give loving sloppy kisses.

The ball in question had critically restricted blood flow to the dog’s tongue. The flesh on either side of her tongue was badly injured, with swollen parts and discolored markings. To make sure that Poppy’s condition is okay, the couple rushed her to Foxhall Veterinary Clinic in Ruskington, Lincolnshire.

The injury looked sore but Poppy was still her sprightly self.

She was taking in treats and was quite happy to be surrounded by people. During this time, she was given medicine to help with the swelling and was booked in for regular check-ups.

Foxhall shared on their post:

“On arrival at Foxhall, the front half of Poppy’s tongue was very swollen, we could see a red line on her tongue where the ball had affected the blood flow. Apart from this her tongue was pink and warm to touch and appeared otherwise normal. She was also happy to eat our treats, so was given some medication to help with the swelling and booked in for re-checks.”

However, just days after her predicament, Poppy’s condition grew much worse.

They noted that there was a foul smell coming from her mouth and a white plaque substance was forming around the injured area of her tongue.

Upon careful inspection, Poppy had to face the harsh reality that she might lose a good portion of her tongue. The injured areas turned gray. These parts of her tongue, both sides to be exact, have turned necrotic.

Poppy’s parents rushed her back to the veterinarian to save what’s left of her tongue, the tip of which was hanging only by the middle tissue.

But not all hope was lost. The surgery team had to cut off the affected chunks of her tongue then sew the torn parts. While her tongue is now a bit shorter, her hopes of giving kisses and licking ice cream were rekindled anew.

While Poppy is well on her way to recovery, the couple wanted their experience to be a cautionary tale about specific toys.

Helen admitted that the situation became a traumatic experience for them and expressed her gratitude towards Foxhall and the team that took great care of Poppy.

A Foxhall Veterinary Clinic added in their post:

“The surgery was successful and our nurses couldn’t believe it when Poppy ate and drank as soon as she woke up. We’re happy to report that Poppy’s tongue has pretty much healed now, she is using her tongue normally to drink and can still give plenty of kisses.”

Foxhall Veterinary Clinic also explained that Poppy’s parents wanted them to share their story to raise awareness about these kinds of accidents. While dogs enjoy playtime, they should not be left unattended for prolonged amounts of time, especially with toys that are seemingly innocent.

It might be a hard lesson for Poppy but at least she could still thank the people who helped her with sloppy kisses.

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Source: Foxhall Veterinary Clinic via Facebook, Paws Nation via YouTube, Unilad