Greedy Shropshire puppy all wags after surgery to remove corncob - just four days after recovering from clingfilm snack

Ember, a four-month-old red Labrador, is back to full health after a week of stealing food landed her on the operation table. 

The Walker family, who live in Shifnal, adopted their first-ever puppy just two weeks before Christmas in a bid to help one of their youngest members get over her fear of dogs. For the first two weeks, Ember was the perfect angel. 

Her owner, James, said: "She was really chilled, we were all off at Christmas and we thought 'this will be really lovely'. 

"But we didn't get the chance to relax, it was just following her around the house and seeing what she'd picked up. She will eat everything. There's a favourite phrase in our house - 'What's she got in her mouth?'"

Then, on Saturday, January 18, Ember's owner James Walker was clearing out the fridge and had just put some clingfilm in the bin.

"Next thing I know she'd opened the bin, jumped in, grabbed the clingfilm and had run under the sofa," James said. "I couldn't get there quick enough, she'd swallowed the whole thing."

Immediately, James called Connaught House Vets in Shifnal, who saw Ember straight away and induced vomiting. Luckily, the clingfilm reappeared without concern. 

But within four days, Ember was back at the vets - this time having consumed something slightly more problematic. 

James said: "I'd been getting my daughter ready for Rainbows, the girls had been eating their dinner. Someone came out of the kitchen and left the door open for a second and before we knew what had happened Ember had darted in and taken a corncob off their plates."

Ember was rushed back to the vets, who performed an X-ray.

Shifnal practice manager, Julieann Berry, said there was "no way it was coming out the way it had gone in" and the young pup was quickly transferred to Connaught House Vet's hospital at Tettenhall Road for emergency surgery.

Dr Zadie Looker, who performed the surgery, said: "It's quite a technical surgery and not a lot of vets can do it. But because we have the hospital, Ember was done very quickly. 

"She made a full recovery, but that's only because we and the family acted very quickly." 

Following Ember's ordeal, Dr Looker - who throughout her career has removed numerous toy soldiers, socks and christmas decorations from the stomachs of mans best friend - wanted to reassure dog owners that these things happen. 

"It can happen to any dog, they eat things they shouldn't eat, some things are toxic and some things get stuck," she said.

"Early training helps, keeping them occupied and stimulated. You should find them a puppy toy that's safe for them, try and remove anything out of their reach, secure bins - put it out of their reach of in a different room.

"But it will happen. Puppies are mischevious, you say drop it and they swallow it. If your dog has swallowed something don't be embarrassed, phone your vets." 

A few weeks after her surgery, Ember has shed her cone of shame and made a full recovery. The Walker family say they're getting better at preempting Ember's cravings - and that Ember is getting better at controlling them.