This puppy swallowed a 20cm steak knife and survived

This incredible X-ray shows a massive 20cm-long steak knife swallowed by a puppy - which miraculously survived. Vets were stunned when scans revealed six-month-old Staffordshire bull-terrier Lexi had scoffed the deadly serrated blade. Her owners had initially sought help because they thought she had a tummy upset but things took a dramatic turn and Lexi was rushed into surgery. Skilled vets at the Animal Referral Hospital (ARH), in Sydney, Australia, spent 45 minutes painstakingly inching the blade back up Lexis's oesophagus and free of her vital organs. ARH medical specialist Dr Jody Braddock said: "I've never seen anything like it, we knew that Lexi's best chance for survival would be to remove the knife as soon as possible before it could cause more damage.

Amazingly Lexi needed just three days in intensive care while doctors ensured she could swallow without pain and guarded against infections or unexpected bleeding. She's now on strict bed-rest for the next 10 days.