A NAUGHTY shih tzu got clean away with it when he swallowed an entire kitchen sponge and scouring pad.

Alfie’s life was saved by PDSA vets after he swiped the sponge as owner Maria Bird was cleaning the bathroom at her home in Jarrow and swallowed it whole.

The 20-month-old dog seemed fine afterwards, but Maria knew it could cause him serious harm and she and daughter Jade whisked him off to the vet.

The 53-year-old said: “Alfie has always been a mischief-maker but I was astounded when he wolfed down the sponge in one go.

“He seemed absolutely fine but I knew he could be in deep trouble. I rushed him straight to PDSA where vets checked him over”.

Vet nurse Caroline Watson was on duty at PDSA’s Gateshead Pet Hospital when Alfie was brought in.

She said: “We gave Alfie an injection to make him sick and thankfully, the medicine worked its magic quickly.

“Thanks to the speedy actions of Maria, Alfie avoided a far worse fate, as when pets swallow foreign bodies, they can cause tears or fatal blockages in the digestive system.

“We were amazed that such a small dog managed to swallow a sponge of that size – it can’t have been very pleasant going down or coming back up again.”

Alfie returned home shortly after his scouring pad ordeal after being given a clean bill of health.

Ms Bird said: “I am so grateful to PDSA for their fast action and help with Alfie.

“We are keeping a close eye on him to make sure he doesn’t snaffle any other spongy treats again.”