Puppy Recovers After Vets Find Corn Cob Lodged in Intestine

Veterinarians at a California shelter initially feared the puppy had a deadly illness before discovering the unexpected cause of his symptoms.

Mar. 1, 2026 at 2:55am

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A four-month-old puppy named Popcorn arrived at a Pasadena, California shelter severely ill, with vomiting and weight loss. Veterinarians initially feared he had the highly contagious parvovirus, but an exploratory surgery revealed the surprising cause of his symptoms - a corn cob lodged in his intestine. After the blockage was removed, Popcorn made a full recovery and was adopted.

Why it matters

Foreign object ingestion is a common but serious risk for puppies, who often explore their surroundings by chewing and swallowing household items. This case highlights the importance of seeking prompt veterinary care when a puppy exhibits persistent or worsening symptoms, as intestinal blockages can quickly become life-threatening if left untreated.

The details

When Popcorn arrived at Pasadena Humane, he was lethargic, underweight and uninterested in food. Despite treatment with fluids, anti-inflammatory medication and a dewormer, his condition failed to improve. Veterinarians then performed X-rays and an ultrasound, which revealed a mass in Popcorn's abdomen. Concerned it could be an intestinal blockage, they decided to proceed with an exploratory abdominal surgery, where they discovered the corn cob lodged in his intestine.

  • Popcorn, a four-month-old puppy, arrived at Pasadena Humane in California in February 2026.
  • After initial treatment failed to improve Popcorn's condition, veterinarians performed an exploratory surgery.

The players

Pasadena Humane

A California animal shelter that took in the sick puppy Popcorn.

Popcorn

A four-month-old puppy who was found as a stray in Pasadena, California and brought to the Pasadena Humane shelter with severe vomiting and weight loss.

Kevin McManus

A representative from Pasadena Humane who spoke about Popcorn's case.

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What they’re saying

“Popcorn was clearly sick; he was vomiting and he had diarrhea. Due to those symptoms, we were immediately concerned that he had Parvo.”

— Kevin McManus, Representative, Pasadena Humane (Newsweek)

“Thankfully, our vet team decided to do an exploratory surgery. Once that was removed, and after a short recovery, he blossomed into a happy, wiggly puppy.”

— Kevin McManus, Representative, Pasadena Humane (Newsweek)

What’s next

After recovering from surgery, Popcorn was adopted into a new forever home, where his adopter has promised to keep him 'away from corn on the cob'.

The takeaway

This case highlights the serious risks that foreign object ingestion can pose for puppies, and the importance of seeking prompt veterinary care when a puppy exhibits persistent or worsening symptoms, as intestinal blockages can quickly become life-threatening if left untreated.