A relieved quick thinking dog owner has spoken of his joy after a team of vets and Scottish firefighters saved his beloved rescue greyhound Hugh after a fire engulfed their block of flats.
David Griffin, who owns a second hand book shop ‘Elvis Shakespeare’ on Leith Walk, had to react quickly when a fire broke out in his communal block on Wednesday June 19. Fire alarms began to ring at around 2.30am in the tenement building and David realised that both his dogs, Hugh and Rosie, were extremely unsettled with smoke filling up the flat.
In a panic, the shop owner tried to gather his dogs but opted to grab them by the collars to lead them down the stairwell guided by other residents' light. But as he emerged from the smoke into the street he noticed that Hugh had managed to escape his collar and bolt upstairs.
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David pleaded with members of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to save his dog after they had responded to the human residents. Heroically, they grabbed the doggy oxygen mask and raced up the stairs where they found Hugh cowering in his flat.
A firefighter managed to carry the pooch - who weighs at least 25kg - to the street. Unfortunately Hugh was unconscious when he was found and began coughing up a thick black material after regaining consciousness following his rescue.
David was advised to go to the hospital but two of his friends volunteered to race poor Hugh to the out-of-hours vets where he was treated for smoke inhalation pneumonitis.
On the ordeal, David said: “I woke up at around 2.30am with the bedroom door shut. An alarm was going off and I noticed Hugh was running around bug eyed and had pooped everywhere.
“I opened the front door and noticed billowing black acrid smoke and put a wet towel against the door. It was tough to get them on the leads and I did not know whether to stay or go.
“People were screaming and following the light saying that they would lead us out. We decided we would just go for it but when I got to the bottom I realised Hugh was gone.
“I handed Rosie to someone and tried to go back in for Hugh but I couldn't make it back up. I’d left the door open as I did not know where the fire was and luckily this saved Hugh.
“I pleaded with the firefighters to find the dog and these lovely Green Watch members agreed to go up and find him. They brought him down the stairs, the big lad emerging from the smoke was like something from a movie.
“I didn’t know they carry masks for dogs now on the fire engines and so they tried to give him oxygen whilst telling me to go to hospital. Thankfully I managed to call my friends, Chrissy and Mike, who made a great decision in taking him straight to emergency vets.
“The vets took over but then I was told he won't make it.”
The committed and experienced team at the ICR out of hours vets then set about trying to save the adopted ex-Irish racer. He was hospitalised for four days and four nights for pulmonary oedema - fluid in his lungs caused by the inflammation from the smoke.
This meant he was unable to oxygenate well enough without assistance. The veterinary team were also concerned about carbon monoxide poisoning so they set about carefully monitoring poor Hugh.
On this, Rosaleen Murray, of the ICR Vets team said: “Hugh presented to our Emergency Team at our 24-hour Loanhead Hospital in the early hours of Wednesday morning, after falling unconscious due to smoke inhalation at his home.
“He was bright and trying to soldier on, but really struggling to get enough oxygen and couldn't stop coughing up black soot. We were able to check his oxygenation levels with a blood test, and scan his lungs to check for inflammation.
“These tests confirmed that he had pulmonary oedema (fluid in his lungs) due to the inflammation caused by the smoke itself, but also the burning chemicals inhaled as part of most house fires. We placed nasal prongs in his nose and gave him flow-by 100 per cent oxygen to help this, and also gave him pain relief and anti-inflammatories.
“He needed oxygen supplementation on and off for 48 hours, and was placed on an intravenous fluid drip to maintain his blood pressure and hydration as he was feeling too poorly to drink! With repeat scans of his chest and regular monitoring of his oxygenation and respiratory function we were able to assess his slow but sure recovery!
“We knew he was feeling better when he finally accepted some cooked chicken from us as his breakfast - and from then on it was hard to stop him eating! We are so delighted at ICR to have a dedicated 24-hour team of Vets, Nurses and Support Staff so that we can help cases like Hugh.
“We all grew so attached to his presence while he was with us; it was a bittersweet moment to have him trot off home and leave us behind!”
The vet team continued to check in on Hugh and found that he had settled back into life in his old home well and continues to enjoy his daily walks in the fresh air. They added that his story shows the vital importance of ICR vets who ensure every one of their patients has 24 hour gold standard care 365 days a year.
On the work that the vets and firefighters had carried out, David shared his thanks. He added: ”'Hugh was born in Ireland and raced for three years but that's all the info I have on him. He is the most stubborn greyhound I've ever met though an absolute sweetheart.
“I went to the fire station and met the folk who rescued him. The Green Watch at McDonald Road fire station were the first to help save him but the veterinary team were absolutely incredible.
“Hugh has a bit of scarring but is still such a cheeky wee tiger. When he first got home he coughed and he had now worked out that if he coughs he gets attention.
“So when he wants food he puts on a cough but is absolutely fine now thanks to the brave work of the Green Watch and the vets.”
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