Dogsey

A two-year-old dog who was taken to a veterinary practice to be spayed was left “terribly scarred” after suffering burns to her back. Lucy's owners told a newspaper that The Melbourne Veterinary Centre in Staffordshire accepted responsibility and their insurers reimbursed the money the couple spent on treatment.

Owners Nicola and Darren Fellows said they noticed problems after bringing Lucy home.

Nicola said: “The burn wasn't immediately obvious. We became concerned because she couldn't bear for us to touch her back and would just collapse.

“The vet told us it was a normal reaction after surgery. We were to-ing and fro-ing to the practice for two or three weeks but all they could say was that she had had a reaction to the injection. Eventually her fur started falling out and we could see wheals.”

The vets advised that Lucy be taken to a specialist hospital in Merseyside, where she spent a week before returning home because she wasn't eating; Nicola and Darren said they had to take two weeks off work.

The couple said they were reimbursed the £2100 they spent on treatment.

Nicola said: “Even now, Lucy is terribly scarred. We haven't asked for compensation, we just wanted our money back.”

The veterinary practice did not comment.

Story brought to our attention by: youngstevie