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Paddy, 14, needs three operations and months of care and treatment to survive car accident
A mum-of-three whose dog helped her overcome cancer has praised vets for giving her elderly dog another chance at life.
Brave Paddy – a Yorkshire terrier-poodle cross – had jumped out of his owner’s car and run across the road to do a pee when he was hit by a 4×4.
His legs were caught under a tyre, leaving him badly injured and in severe pain. But, four months on, he is well on the road to recovery thanks to the expertise of vets and vets nurses in our pet emergency hospital in Glasgow.
Paddy’s rehabilitation is all the more remarkable as he is 14-years-old, but owner Suzie Sexton never had any doubts about going through with the complex treatment.
Suzie Sexton Paddy's owner"The staff at the hospital have been amazing for Paddy and everybody there loves him now. I can't thank them enough."
Suzie, 53, of New Stevenston, North Lanarkshire, said: “I do love Paddy and couldn’t imagine not giving him a chance. I think of him as my baby. I’ve had him since he was born – I didn’t even know his mum was expecting, so he’s a special boy and a very strong boy too.
“He’s given me 14 years of unconditional love so it was the least I could do to give him this chance. He looked after me when I had cervical cancer so I couldn’t let Paddy go without trying everything.”
And the cost of the treatment didn’t weaken Suzie’s determination to help Paddy either. “Every penny was worth it for the care he got,” she said.
The accident had happened when Paddy had jumped out of Suzie’s car to rush across the road to some grass to have a pee and within seconds the little dog was under the wheels of a 4×4.
Suzie said: “It all happened in a flash. Paddy ended up in a terrible state. I scooped him up and there was loads of blood everywhere and I was in complete shock and rushed him to the vets.
“It taught me a valuable lesson because I always strap my dogs in now.”
Paddy was taken to Suzie’s local vets in Motherwell for initial treatment and was later referred to our hospital in Glasgow which provides specialist and emergency care for pets in the region.
He spent eight days in the hospital where he underwent surgery to pin his broken hip and was given a skin graft on his leg.
Suzie feels that the experience was all the more traumatic for Paddy as it was the first time he had been away from her.
“He’s never been away from me so I think he was quite traumatised, but the staff in the hospital were fantastic. I couldn’t fault the care I had and they kept me in the loop the whole time and allowed me to visit.
“I thought he was going to lose his leg, but the staff at the hospital have been amazing for Paddy and everybody there loves him now. I can’t thank them enough.”
Surgical nurse Steven Murphy, who helped treat Paddy, said staff have been amazed by how well he’s coped with his injuries.
He added: “Paddy came to us in quite a state. On top of the three separate surgical procedures he needed, he’s had to endure multiple sedations and bandage changes for the wound injuries.
“But over the months he has shown what a brave and strong dog he is. We’re really pleased to have helped him on the road to recovery because we can see he means the world to Mrs Sexton and her family.”
Our pet emergency hospital in Glasgow – where Paddy received treatment – is regarded as one of the finest facilities of its kind in the UK and is home to a team of specialist vets, referral clinicians and emergency vets.
It has just undergone extensive refurbishment and expansion work costing more than £1.5 million.
It’s one of three Vets Now hospitals across the UK that are open 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week, to treat any pet emergencies that may occur. All of Vets Now’s 60 clinics and hospitals have a vet and vet nurse on site at all times.