Against All Odds: The Miraculous Recovery of Stanley and Barney from Tetanus at Langford Vets
In 2023, Labradors Stanley and Barney defied the odds in their battle against Tetanus. They were both hospitalised with us for almost one month during February of last year, winning the hearts of all our teams as they bravely battled their disease. The care of these two dogs really was a whole team effort and is a typical example of our excellence in multidisciplinary specialist animal care.
Barney and Stanley both developed tetanus from a small wound, as is often the case. This occurred as a complete coincidence on almost the same day just 100 miles apart. We are proud to have worked closely with their local vets at Garston Vets Frome and Maes Glas Bridgend, who had initially been taking care of them. However, once their disease began to progress, they contacted our Emergency and Critical Care (ECC) and Internal Medicine teams to organise a referral, recognising our expertise in intensive care was something these dogs were likely to need.
Vicki Black, Hospital Director said “The amount of hard work, expertise, and love for these two dogs really was incredible to witness and a great example of what Langford does so well. There really isn’t a person I wouldn’t like to say a huge thank you to for their hard work. I wholeheartedly believe we really are the best place for your pets and am very proud of my team.”
Langford Vets Small Animal Hospital invited Stanley, Barney, their families and referring vets back last year to the Small Animal Hospital to meet each other and to be reunited with the veterinary teams who cared for them so diligently for many weeks. They celebrated with ice-cream from local supplier Chew Moo's and a doggie birthday cake baked by Stanley's owner to celebrate his third birthday. Barney and Stanley were presented with personalised 'Langford Hero' bandannas and their owners received flowers and cards with personalised messages from their care teams. It was a lovely opportunity for the owners to chat about their shared experiences during a worrying time. Both dogs seemed especially pleased to be reunited with their primary vets, Jenny and Holly, recognising them immediately and bounding over with tails wagging. Stanley and Barney enjoyed a relaxing walk in the grounds while their owners were given a tour of the hospital facilities where the dogs had been cared for. Our team were thrilled to see the dogs doing so well.
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