Strictly Come Dancing couple Gemma Atkinson and Gorka Márquez have experienced a family scare when their new pup was rushed to the vet.
The pair recently welcomed a new dog to the family following the death of Gemma's two dogs, Norman and Ollie, who sadly passed within six months of each other. New pup Benji, a Goldendoodle, was presented to the world in May in a sweet joint post from Gemma and Gorka.
This week, Benji had to undergo surgery after eating a dummy teat, prompting Gemma to dash back home from a work trip in London.
Meanwhile, Gorka posted a selfie with tears streaming down his face after he left Benji at the vet, with the caption: "It beaks my hear seeing him like that and to leave him there..."
Luckily, surgery went well and Benji was able to return home, as Gemma explained in her Instagram Stories.
"Turned out Benji had eaten a dummy teat which had caused a blockage in his intestine," Gemma wrote in a Story of her alongside Benji, who was wearing a surgery vest.
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"Scary stuff but apparently very common in puppies to eat random things. He's home and getting plenty of rest and cuddles.
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"I left London early to dash home when I heard the word 'we need to operate'. Thank you to Claire and the @womenshealthuk team for understanding. I know it wasn't ideal but I had to get home [heart emojis].
"I'd forgotten this part of having pets where you worry yourself sick when they get unwell. Thank you to Medivets in Ramsbottom as well for being so brilliant and taking such good care of him."
Benji is now on the mend as Gemma shared more about his recovery, thanking her followers for their kind messages enquiring about the pup's health.
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"It's the good bit of the Internet, isn't it?" she said in the clip.
In a follow-up Story, Gemma took a video of Benji hanging out in the sunny garden with the caption "Tail high and wet nose," together with a brown heart emoji.
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Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).
