A pile of rocks? Check. An intact lightbulb? Check. A fondue fork? Check. Ninety-plus potatoes? Check. (…and check, and check, and check—you get the picture!)

Submissions for the inaugural Veterinary Practice News Canada X-ray contest certainly did not disappoint. Indeed, veterinary teams from Kamloops to Kingston (and plenty of places in between) eagerly shared the most jaw-dropping, gasp-inducing, mind-boggling radiographs we have ever seen. You’ve got to wonder what an animal is thinking when they swallow an object whole—especially when the object in question is sharp, heavy, or just plain unappetizing. Thanks to the awesome work of veterinarians and their teams, these pets made a full recovery.

Check out the X-ray that nabbed the highest scores in relevancy, appeal, originality, description, and appearance, along with the runners-up and honourable mentions. The winner receives a $500 Amazon gift card from contest sponsor, Nuon Imaging.

Winner

One Lab’s bright idea

Who knows what goes through a young Labrador retriever’s head? This fella, Raphael, was feeling a bit nervous and scared after deciding it was a good idea to swallow a lightbulb … whole! Surgery was planned and performed the following day at Alliston Veterinary Services. Dr. Christine Parker was able to successfully remove the entire lightbulb, intact. Raphael recovered quickly and is doing very well. It seems the pooch has learned his lesson.

Submitted by Laurie, Alliston Veterinary Services (Alliston, Ont.)