Patch injures herself while rushing to greet owner’s daughter
A grandmother feared a freak accident was going to cost the life of the pet dog that had comforted her since her husband’s death.
Jack Russell terrier Patch was left in agony after landing badly when she excitedly jumped off the sofa to greet a visitor.
The dog was in such pain owner Frances West was convinced she was going to lose the loving animal her late husband Dennis bought when he was terminally ill.
But skilled care at Vets Now’s pet emergency clinic in Dundee and PDSA helped ensure Patch, who’s nearly five, was able to join Frances again at her Dundee home.
“My husband was terminally ill when we got her,” said Frances, 68. “I was looking after Dennis 24 hours-a-day and I didn’t really want a dog.
“But Dennis wanted her to keep me company when he passed, which was almost four years ago. She has been with me every minute since and she has been such a comfort and a real joy.”
The bizarre accident happened out of the blue one recent Friday evening when Frances’s daughter Tracey popped round.
“Patch had jumped up on the sofa when she heard the car in the drive,” explained Frances. “She was so excited that she flew off so fast her front right leg went under her.
“There didn’t seem to be anything wrong while Tracey was here, but after she left Patch went to sleep and woke up whimpering.
“Then she started squealing in pain. The noise was really heart-wrenching and I knew I needed help.
“It was late at night, so I called the PDSA and, as it was out of hours, they put me in touch with Vets Now who said to bring her straight in.
“When we were taking her down, wrapped up in a blanket, she was obviously in such pain I was sure we were going to lose her. I was petrified and just roaring and crying.”
Our clinic in Kings Cross Road, Dundee, is one of a network of out-of-hours clinics and hospitals open seven days a week.
“Patch was obviously struggling and we could only do limited flexing of her joints before she started to scream in pain,” said vet Ana Maria Rotariu.
“We administered pain relief and then sedated her for scans which thankfully showed there were no obvious fractures or displacement of joints.”
Patch was still unable to bear weight on her leg, so was kept on pain medication and under close observation at the clinic through the weekend.
“I can’t thank the Vets Now staff enough,” said Frances. “As well as caring brilliantly for Patch, they made sure I was okay, too.
“They kept coming back to give Tracey and myself updates. I couldn’t fault a single thing about how they looked after us all.
“And I don’t know what I’d have done without my other daughter Claire and grandson Boudi’s support, too.”
Patch was transferred to her daytime vet, PDSA, on the Monday morning who continued treatment until she recovered.
It took Patch a couple of weeks to get back to her old self, with the vets recommending just very short, five-minute walks until she regained strength in the leg.
Now a relieved Frances has now taken precautions to ensure no repetition of the freak accident.
“I’ve got a huge mountain of cushions lined up so she can’t possibly get on the sofa,” added Frances. “My living room looks like a bomb site. If somebody walked in, they’d think I’d been burgled.
“It’s crazy that there was such worry over such an odd thing.”
The pet emergency clinic in Dundee is one of a nationwide network of Vets Now clinics and hospitals open through the night, seven days a week, and day and night at weekends and bank holidays.
All of Vets Now’s out-of-hours clinics and 24/7 hospitals have a vet and a veterinary nurse on site at all times.
