You can't help but marvel and shake your head a little when checking out the X-rays we get every year as part of our They Ate What?! Contest. You've got to wonder what an animal is thinking when they swallow an object whole, especially the long pointy ones (think fishing poles and forks). This year's entries didn't fail to deliver in the wild and wacky department, which made choosing a winner especially challenging for our panel of experts. Check out the X-ray that nabbed the highest scores in relevancy, appeal, originality, description, and appearance, along with the runners-up and honorable mentions. This year, the winner receives a $500 VISA gift card from contest prize sponsor, Trupanion.

Contest judges

• Marty Becker, DVM, writes VPN's "In the Middle" column
• John Lewis, VMD, FAVD, DAVDC, writes VPN's "Dental Pearls" column
• Brennen McKenzie, MA, MSc, VMD, cVMA, writes VPN's "Evidence-Based Medicine" column
• Alice Villalobos, DVM, FNAP, is a member of VPN's editorial advisory board
• Phil Zeltzman, DVM, DACVS, CVJ, Fear Free Certified, writes VPN's "Surgical Insights" and "Practice Management" columns
• Patty Khuly, VMD, MBA, writes VPN's "Off Leash"