A couple issued a warning after they were left with a £7,800 vet bill when their dog was paralysed by a ruptured disc - while playing fetch. Chaps, a seven-year-old Australian cattle dog, was playing fetch with her owners when the tragedy struck.
Chaps ran before stumbling and sliding across the ground "yelping in considerable pain". Angela Axton, 35, and Bradley May, 33, rushed her to an emergency vet, where an MRI scan showed a herniated disc had pushed into Chaps' spinal cord.
Chaps was temporarily paralyzed in her hind limbs and lost of control of her bladder after pieces of the disc became lodged in her spinal cord. After 48 hours in emergency care, Chaps was released and taken home.
Now back with the family, Chaps is undergoing regular therapy, but is in "good spirits". Angela, who runs her own equine business, said: "Chaps suffered a disc extrusion, a burst caused by the downward, fast, force of fetch while chasing her ball.
"The force of the disc blowing shocked and inflamed the spinal cord."
The couple have spent £7,800 on medical bills and, with upcoming therapy sessions at £235 a session for the next six months, they are likely to spend almost as much again.
Angela said: "So far we have spent £7,800 and her continued therapy is twice a week for three weeks and once a week for four weeks, which is roughly £235 per treatment.
"The therapy could take up to six months to a year.
"We will include red light therapy, essential oils, chiropractic, water therapy, emotional release therapy, supplements, physical therapy exercises, massage, reiki acupuncture, raw food diet, and herbs."
Despite the lucky escape from permanent paralysation, Angela and Bradley want to raise awareness because they believe this could happen to other dogs.
Angela said: "With roughly 15,000 comments on our video close to 5,000 have experienced this, in some fashion.
"We need to work more preventively to see signs of spinal distinction or weakness before it becomes a traumatic injury and we need to educate that certain activities can lead to this and should be shifted in the best interest of the dog.
"Such as fetch, if we knew this was possible we have played fetch with her in a way that wouldn’t lead to the fast downward force.
"We need to look into spinal supplements and preventative care like acupuncture and chiropractic."
Despite the traumatic events Chaps suffered, she is on the mend and feeling better.
She is more balanced and has better control of her bladder.
Angela said: "She is recovering extremely well. Staying more balanced when getting up from sitting or laying down.
"The hardest part will be keeping her quiet, so we have purchased many items like lock mats, enrichment toys, and squeaker toys to keep her busy.
"We also researched which herbs would help her keep calm once she is off the medication from the veterinarian."
