Leighton Buzzard dog owner's relief as vets rescue chihuahua in car seat emergency

A relieved Leighton Buzzard dog owner wishes to say a huge thank you to Heath and Reach Vets after they made an emergency trip to rescue her chihuahua.
Sadie.Sadie.
Sadie.

Melanie Stevens, 57, was driving along Woburn Road on her way back into town when her beloved pooch, Sadie, started crying out in pain.

The worried owner had to pull over, realising that Sadie’s foot had become tightly caught in a car seat cushion thread, and rang Heath and Reach Vets in a panic.

Sadie in her car seat.Sadie in her car seat.
Sadie in her car seat.

Melanie said: “I was coming off the main roundabout from Woburn Sands [near the A5 Flying Fox] and my little dog was in her car seat and was crying out in absolute distress.

“I was coming down Woburn Road but there was no way I could stop without causing an accident - it’s a 60mph road - so I had to pull over in a layby.

“She was yelping and I realised her back left foot was entwined in several layers of nasty thick cotton from the car seat’s cushion.”

Melanie knew that Heath and Reach Vets was just up the road, and frantically rang them to ask if they could come out. Upon hearing of the pair’s distress, Melanie says a staff member immediately drove along the road to find to them, armed with a pair of cutters, and was able to release Sadie from the snare.

Melanie says she then massaged little Sadie’s foot, which had gone cold, allowing the blood supply to come back.

The thread had come from a tiny hole in the car seat cushion, which Melanie hadn’t spotted.

She added: “I can’t thank the vets enough. It’s just so ironic; I was yards away from their practice when I rang. But you don’t think clearly in a panic. They didn’t want any money - it was on the house - and Sadie is not registered there.

“I cried my heart out, I really did. I was in such a state. I’ve never seen her that distressed even when she’s been poorly.

“I love her so much, which is why I want to say thank you to Heath and Reach Vets from my heart. It could have been a bad outcome had they not have come to her rescue.”