A PREGNANT pooch who had to undergo emergency surgery after swallowing a fishing hook has safely delivered 11 pups.

Tia was rushed into the emergency department at Archway Veterinary Practice after swallowing a huge hook and bait which had been left lying on the shore.

An x-ray showed the hook to be all the way down in her stomach, so vets Becky and Jeremy had to perform major emergency surgery, which turned out to be far more complicated than expected.

The hook had pulled back up through the stomach wall and into Tia’s diaphragm, effectively stapling the two together and missing major blood vessels by millimetres.

Tia was also halfway through her pregnancy.

A spokesman for Archway Veterinary Practice said: "After two hours of surgery the hook and line were successfully removed, and Tia was cared for overnight by head nurse Katy.

"By the next morning she had made a great recovery but only time would tell if the pups would survive.

"Well we are delighted to say they did, and mum and all 11 came in to be checked today."