A team of vets have successfully performed a procedure on a British bulldog after he swallowed a rubber duck whole, Press Association has reported.

The vets, from Pride Veterinary Centre in Derby, had to use methods similar to the fairground “hook a duck” game on the one-year-old bulldog, Ronnie.

After passing a video camera down the dog’s oesophagus before entering his stomach, the team then used a simple loop to pull the toy out.

Owner Joe Fisher, 38, said: “I came down to get Ronnie in the morning and when I opened the stairgate he shot past me and right up the stairs.

“He ran right into my nine-year-old daughter Edie’s room, picked up the rubber duck that was lying on the floor and ran back down with it in his mouth.

“I never for a minute thought he’d swallow it. It was so big I couldn’t believe what he’d done.

“We were obviously really concerned that it might block his airway or something, but he didn’t appear to be bothered at all.”

South Wales Argus: Ronnie's owner couldn't believe his choice of morning snack (PA)Ronnie's owner couldn't believe his choice of morning snack (PA)

Debs Smith, a senior vet at Pride Veterinary Centre, said: “We sedated Ronnie so we could get an X-ray and it showed the duck really clearly.

“It was still in his stomach and hadn’t passed into the intestines, but we were obviously concerned about it causing an obstruction.

“It was possible that we might have to operate but we tried an endoscopy first, passing down a camera and using it to guide us.

“It really was like playing ‘hook a duck’ and after about half an hour we got the loop around it and pulled it out.”

After the procedure Ronnie quickly returned to his hold self and was able to return home later than afternoon.

His owner plans to frame the X-rays and keep the duck as a reminder of Ronnie’s peculiar morning snack.