Vets from a North Yorkshire practice have removed a 4kg tumour from the stomach of a dog.  
The Vets4Pets Catterick Garrison staff were astounded after removing the mass from 11-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier, Joey.
Swollen stomach
Owner Ken Nash took Joey to the practice after becoming concerned about his pet’s swollen stomach.
An ultrasound showed a mass displacing the guts and other abdominal organs, but the tissue appeared to be soft in density, with no free fluid from the abdomen.
Abdominal surgery
Vet Joanne Ciavarella was “amazed” at the size of the mass and recommended exploratory abdominal surgery to get to the bottom of the mystery.
Fellow vet Kathryn Green scrubbed in with Dr Ciavarella, as it was impossible to hold the mass single-handed and perform the surgery to remove it from the wall of the caecum – where it was attached – at the same time.

Sarcoma
Measuring more than 30cm in diameter and big enough to fill a washing-up bowl, the tumour was sent for histopathology and found to be a sarcoma.
Joey is on the road to recovery and his relieved owners have voiced their gratitude to the team.