A dog was lethargic and lost his appetite. Veterinarians found 6 socks and part of a tote bag in his stomach.

A South Jersey animal hospital is reminding pet owners to keep a close eye on what their pets eat after veterinarians saved the life of a dog that ingested several socks, pieces of fabric and part of a tote bag.

Edward Gieder, a Cherry Hill resident, said that his family noticed their nearly 10-year-old hound mix, Ricky, lost his appetite and had a lower energy level around Christmas last year.

"He just wasn't himself. He wasn't playful," Gieder said. "The situation wasn't getting any better."

After a visit to their local veterinarian revealed something blocking Ricky's stomach, Gieder took Ricky to Mount Laurel Animal Hospital for surgery.

During the procedure, veterinarians discovered several socks, pieces of fabric and a tote bag blocking his stomach. A photo of everything they recovered showed at least six intact socks.

"I was blown away," Dr. Grant Crandall, co-head of the animal hospital's emergency department, said. "But, honestly, nothing surprises me at this point. I've seen dogs where they've had 20-plus stones pulled out of their stomach."

Both Crandall and Gieder hope owners will learn from Ricky's experience and monitor any changes in their pet's behavior.

"The biggest things to look out for in these types of cases are going to be loss of appetite, vomiting and any sort of general lethargy," Crandall said.

After a few days recovering at home, Ricky has a clean bill of health.

Gieder said his family is now paying closer attention to both what Ricky eats and what he could try to eat.

"Probably just to stick to dog food," Gieder said, laughing. "And not human stuff."