Vets removed a stuffed toy that had been stuck in a pet Labrador's stomach for three years.

Energetic pooch Banjerd, 6, sparked concern when he suddenly became lethargic and began vomiting regularly at his home in Bangkok, Thailand.

The worried owner Nattawan Kaewwichit, aware of his pet's fondness for swallowing inaminate objects, rushed the canine to the Goodwill Animal Hospital in Nonthaburi province on September 21, but doctors said nothing was wrong with him based on x-ray scans.

However, Nattawan sought a second opinion at another hospital, where ultrasound scans revealed a 'substantial' foreign object lodged in the dog's small intestines.

Vets said the obstruction was too large to pull out using forceps, and that Banjerd needed an emergency surgery.

Banjerd went under the knife, and surgeons pulled out of him a large plush dinosaur that had been blackened from years inside his gut.

Shocked Nattawan said that Banjerd was not overly fond of toys, but would sometimes carry them in his mouth when he wanted to play.

He said: 'The doll has been stuck in his stomach for three years. We know this because the doll has been missing for exactly three years.'

He added that the Lab had undergone five previous surgeries, including a gastric bypass, to remove other foreign objects like banana leaves and rocks that he had swallowed.

Vets had given Banjerd a platelet transfusion as he continued to be sluggish due to low blood protein levels. The pooch is now in a stable condition, Nattawan said.

The relieved fur dad warned other pet owners: 'I want to serve as an example for all dog owners. It's crucial to be cautious about dogs ingesting foreign objects, whether it's toys, home decorations, or even innocuous items like banana leaves.'