NORMALLY getting a hole in one is a cause for celebration.

But when Victorian bulldog cross Louis swallowed a golf ball it was anything but.

Owner Marie Dibben was walking Louis on the field at the bottom of Grafton Close, Charminster, while partner Shaheen Safaee played golf.

The playful one-year-old gulped down the ball after catching it in mid-flight as keen golfer Shaheen hit the ball towards him.

The horrified couple rushed the pooch to Bournemouth People's Dispensary for Sick Animals Hospital where an X-ray showed that the ball was lodged in Louis's stomach.

Mum of three Marie said: "Shaheen was clubbing golf balls to him to chase. He hit one, Louis jumped up, caught it and ate it.

"I knew straight away he had swallowed the golf ball but poor Louis didn't and was running around in circles trying to find it.

"Although he didn't seem in pain I rushed him straight to the PDSA. I was so worried he was going to choke.

"We gave him some water to make sure it wasn't lodged. We were looking in his mouth and rubbing his throat and Louis was still looking round for the ball."

Louis underwent a major operation to remove the potentially life-threatening golf ball and has since made a complete recovery. Luckily for the couple the £700 cost of his treatment was covered by the PDSA.

PDSA senior veterinary surgeon Paul Cossey said the accident could have proved fatal.

Dog owners should always supervise pets when playing with toys and avoid small objects in favour of larger ones, he added.

"The ball was stuck in Louis' stomach which was very lucky. If the ball had moved to the small intestines it could have been life-threatening.

"Accidents like Louis' can easily happen. Luckily for Louis his owner noticed that he'd swallowed the ball," added Paul.

Since his ordeal the couple now play football with Louis instead of golf, joked Marie.