A vet nurse who was told her spaniel had died in a car accident was left stunned when the dog suddenly sat up in the practice she was working in.
Hannah Philipson was in the middle of a shift at Ryedale Vets in North Yorkshire when she got a distressing call about 18-month-old Betty.
“I was told she was being brought in after running off and being hit by a car,” said Hannah. “My mother-in-law said she was dead, but she suddenly sat up when she arrived here at the practice in the back of a pick-up. I couldn’t believe she was alive, but her jugular was severed and there was blood everywhere as our team carried her in.
“The injuries were so horrendous you couldn’t even tell it was a dog’s face. I’ve never seen anything like it, and I hope I never will again.”
Betty had sustained multiple injuries, including severe facial trauma and fractured toes.
When she was transferred to Swift Referrals in Leeds, part of My Family Vets, she was stabilised and treated for the first 48 hours by the medicine team.
She was suffering from shock, low blood pressure, high heart rate, high respiratory rate, severe pain, anaemia, and several other serious issues.
Jonathan Bell, an RCVS specialist in small animal surgery at Swift Referrals, got to work on treating Betty’s extensive wounds and injuries.
He said: “A CT scan revealed she had multiple fractures. There was also significant haemorrhage and a large open facial wound with extensive soft tissue damage.
“Intensive open wound management was required to reach a point where the wound could be safely closed. This entailed repeated flushing, cleaning and dressing of the wound. Several surgeries were required to achieve wound closure.”
He added: “It was a major trauma. We are just delighted we were able to help, and she has come through it all so well.”
Following the surgeries at the end of last year, Betty has continued to make good progress.
“I was sure she wasn’t going to live and had made my plans about what I was going to do,” added Hannah. “Everyone is amazed she fought her way through, and we all think she’s a little miracle. She has such an appetite for life. Looking at her now, you’d never know anything had happened to her and I can’t thank my team and everyone at Swift Referrals for saving her.”
Swift Referrals is part of My Family Vets, a nationwide network of veterinary practices and referral hospitals.
Pets needing highly-specialised care, such as orthopaedic surgery, neurology or soft tissue surgery, are referred to Swift Referrals by their daytime vet.
