MAYBE I am biased but a little bit of maturity is a good thing to look for in your veterinary surgeon.

Oh don’t fret, I am not denouncing the brilliantly qualified younger generation, whose brain power is far, far greater than mine ever was.

I regularly applaud them for pushing us oldies along, cajoling us into new techniques and more modern treatments.

For that I thank them. But then one must look past the balding head, the creaking back and the stiff knees to truly understand what I mean.

I would like to think that us more experienced types have seen it all before and so have developed strategies for dealing with every situation.

But this, of course, is not true. Every day brings something new. Every consultation or operation differs, even if only slightly, from the one before.

Naturally, with age comes wisdom.

But then there also comes forgetfulness to counteract this. Advancing years allow the development of a certain sense of humour. But then not everyone shares it. Indeed, there are three things that occur as you get older. The first is that your memory is not so good. And I can’t remember what the other two are.

In reality, however, the real benefit of having a geriatric vet lies in their ability to harness the nostalgic memories of their youth and put them to use in modern general practice.

Confused? Yes so am I. Regularly.

So here’s the story. A young Labrador is presented, retching and gagging. Kennel cough is currently rife but a tracheal pinch test fails to elicit the classic cough that an inflamed windpipe causes. Absent also is any history of a productive cough.

None of the usual white frothy gunk that these dogs bring up has been seen. Further, the owner reports that appetite is reduced (always a warning sign in a Labrador) and vomiting has occurred.

Both symptoms would be unusual with kennel cough.

Examination is unremarkable, although slight gulping is noticed on palpation of the larynx and oral examination proves difficult!

And maybe there is just a little tenderness around the abdomen but this is always so hard to gauge in a bouncy dog.

And so the young vet asks advice of her older colleague.

Her mentor extends the history-taking from the owners to include questions about the dog’s eating habits and whether any foreign material may have been swallowed.

Nothing is flagged up until they mention they had been clearing out the loft a few days before.

Ah yes! All is clear!

Memories come flooding back! Snippets of the Police, Duran Duran, Showaddywaddy and Mud enter the brain.

As ‘Tiger Feet’ hit the consciousness, the owners are asked to sign a consent form for general anaesthesia.

Images of Bananarama abound as the patient falls peacefully asleep. Spandau Ballet are playing ‘Gold’ in the background as the dog’s tongue is raised to reveal the cassette tape which got wrapped around it as the dog tried to chew it.

The remainder was surgically removed from his stomach. Ah cassettes tapes! Remember them?

They used to be such a common foreign body. Now, obviously, they are rare.