We have a sheltie that swallowed a needle and thread (about 18" long). We were lucky--the needle was a cheap one and disintegrated in her stomach. However, it took 4 days of x-rays to determine that. About $400! She is fine and is now almost 12 years old.
Now we have a cat that loves pins. I have to be vigilant and hide them when I am not using them. The things we do...