^{by Brandon Demura}

Tennis balls may hold a specialist in your dog’s heart but the last place they need to be is in their stomach. The Lost Smith Animal Hospital is reminding owners to be vigilant when their dog is playing after one hungry hound wolfed down a ball.

Kenzo, a two-year-old airedale terrier, got a little too enthusiastic” while playing with a miniature tennis ball and swallowed it, leaving the remnants lodged in his throat and his family very concerned.

When Kenzo started regurgitating and drooling, we did further investigations and follow-up imaging and that’s when we saw it,” vet Harold Pook said. “Without proper supervision, (tennis balls) can have a devastating impact.”

The signs led to a successful endoscopy, removing the ball and saving Kenzo’s life.