A young collie cross dog named Pip is back on her paws after a terrifying accident left her with multiple serious fractures - but thanks to fast action from her owner and expert treatment from Dovecote Veterinary Referrals, she is now well on the way to recovery.
One year-old Pip’s ordeal unfolded just before Christmas, when a delivery driver accidentally left the family’s garden gate open. Moments after being let outside, Pip wandered out of the garden and her curiosity led her straight into the road, where she was struck by a passing car. Her owner Natalie Robinson described the moment as “every dog owner’s worst nightmare,” recalling the sound of the impact and the panic that followed.
“I heard the thud and ran,”
“She was crying and unable to stand, so I just scooped her up and raced straight to Dovecote. The team took her from my arms the second I walked in. I honestly don’t know what would have happened without them.”
At Dovecote veterinary hospital, Pip was immediately taken in by the First Opinion team, given urgent pain relief and sent for X‑rays. The images revealed two serious injuries: a pelvic fracture and a dislocated hock (the ankle joint). Both injuries required Specialist surgical intervention. With Pip stabilised, the MiNight Team cared for her overnight, monitoring her pain, her breathing, her swelling and her comfort levels.
Early the next morning, the First Opinion vets worked alongside the Specialist Orthopaedic Referral Team to plan her surgery. The case was led by James Pratt, RCVS and European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery (Orthopaedics) and his ECVS Resident Adrian Dumitru. The team created a complex treatment plan to give Pip the best chance of walking normally again.
“Pip had sustained two significant orthopaedic injuries,”
“Her pelvic fracture needed a metal plate to realign it properly. Her dislocated hock required stabilising with sutures mimicking ligaments, passed through bone tunnels and around a screw and washer. Without timely specialist intervention, her long‑term comfort and mobility could have been severely affected.”
Pip underwent surgery to repair both injuries, followed by fitting of a supportive splint. Her limbs were badly swollen from the initial trauma, so she remained in the hospital for several days for monitoring, pain relief and rehabilitation support - along with plenty of cuddles from teams across the hospital.
Thankfully, Pip made excellent progress and was able to go home within 5 days. However, she developed a large fluid swelling around her pelvis, a result of the severe bruising from being hit by the car. A second smaller surgery was needed to drain this off, allowing her to walk more normally once more.
Pip still returns to Dovecote for routine cast checks and is doing brilliantly - healing well, regaining strength, and winning hearts with every visit.
“Seeing her start to walk again felt like a huge relief,”
“She’s been unbelievably brave, and we can’t thank the team enough.”