An elderly dog who was run over twice and on the brink of death with terrible injuries has made an astonishing recovery - thanks to expert vet care and the love of his owner.

Twelve-year-old Border Collie Eddie was flattened on his morning walk when he strayed into the path of a two-ton sports utility vehicle.

Poor Eddie was crushed first by the front wheel on the driver’s side and then by the rear wheel.

The horrific accident left Eddie with multiple injuries including six fractured ribs, a collapsed lung and a damaged abdominal wall.

And it left owner Robin Murray, a retired GP, in shock after witnessing it all.

But now, after a six-week battle for life involving 24/7 vets care, Eddie is walking again.

Robin said: “I’m a doctor not a vet of course, but I honestly can’t quite believe that Eddie is not just still with us but back to his old self.

“When the accident happened and I saw Eddie immobile in the road I immediately thought, ‘He’s gone.’

“At Eddie’s age, I think some dog owners might, quite understandably, have made the decision that it wasn’t viable to try to save him.

“But I just couldn’t have lived with myself if we hadn’t given Eddie every possible chance to recover, given that the vets felt there was a chance.

“By doing that, and thanks to the outstanding vets care he’s received, Eddie is back on his feet, without any long-term effects."

The accident happened on a quiet country lane near Robin’s home on the outskirts of Durham.

Robin said: “There was nothing the driver could do. She was even more upset than me and very kindly gave me and Eddie a lift to my local vet."

The team at the Vets Now Gateshead pet emergency clinic worked through the night to stabilise Eddie, get more fluid and pain relief into him and carry out a full assessment of his litany of injuries.

Robin said: “The staff at Vets Now were superb with Eddie, and very kind with me."

Eddie then went to the specialist Moorview Referrals animal hospital in Cramlington - where he spent 14 days in intensive care.

Eddie had to have his broken ribs braced with metal plating, which immediately made it easier for him to breathe. He also had his abdominal wall rupture repaired and a tendon reattached to his pelvis.

He was eventually moved out of intensive care and then, finally, he was able to go home with Robin.

Robin said: “I’ve wept buckets over this. It’s been incredibly emotional, but I’ve had Eddie for 10 years and he is an integral part of my family."

Ashley Wemple, senior nurse at Vets Now in Gateshead, said: “Eddie is a very brave dog and he’s blessed to have an owner like Robin."

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