At Valley West Veterinary Hospital, we meet a lot of curious pets—but Raja, a six-month-old Bernese Mountain Dog, recently brought us a case we won’t soon forget.
Sweet, playful, and full of personality, Raja enjoys rough-and-tumble fun with his housemate. During one of their spirited play sessions, he decided to do a bit of unauthorized product testing on his brother’s collar. Unfortunately, that collar still had an Apple AirTag attached… and Raja decided the entire setup was apparently “chewable.”
And yes—he swallowed it.
The “Ding” That Gave It Away
For about 3-4 days, the AirTag was nowhere to be found. That changed when Raja’s family tried locating it with the “ping” feature. Instead of hearing the sound from under the couch or behind a door, they heard a faint ding coming from Raja himself.
That was their sign—to seek a professional.
Step One: Endoscopy Attempt
Upon arrival, our surgical team of Registered Veterinary Technicians (Carly T., Kat, & Kate) & Dr. Isaac began with the least invasive option: an endoscopic retrieval. While this technique is often effective for foreign objects, Raja’s AirTag had settled in a way that made removal tricky. Despite our best effort, the device wasn’t going anywhere.
Step Two: Exploratory Surgery
To safely remove the AirTag, we moved forward with an exploratory surgical procedure. The operation went smoothly, and Raja proved to be an excellent patient—with a very unusual item on his “what I ate today” list.
A Smooth Recovery
We’re happy to report that Raja made an uneventful and successful recovery and is back to his cheerful, goofy self. He’s feeling great—and hopefully reconsidering his stance on wearable tech as a snack option.
A Note for Pet Owners
Curiosity is normal, especially in young dogs. If your pet ever chews or swallows something unexpected (especially something that shouldn’t be dinging from inside them), please contact us right away. Quick action keeps pets safe and prevents complications.
Raja’s story has a happy ending—and we’re grateful his family trusted us with his care.