Dog loses leg after crashing into poo bin

Steven Mead was out with his dog Rudey aged nine when the accident took place

A cocker spaniel had to have his leg amputated after he ploughed into a dog poo bin while chasing his ball.

Steven Mead, from Colchester, was out for a walk one Sunday in February with his dog Rudey, nine, when he heard him make a "terrible yelp".

Rudey had skidded into a bin that was at ground level on a metal post and had to be rushed to the emergency vets.

Veterinarian Sharon Lewis, who treated Rudey, said: "I've seen all kinds of injuries, but never one caused by a poo bin.

"Rudey was a real mess when he came in and we did X-rays which showed the extent of the horrible fracture on his leg," said Ms Lewis, the clinical director at Ark Veterinary Centre in Colchester.

Rudey has since been nursed back to good health and his other owner Holly Cork said: "You can obviously see he only has three legs, but he's really back to his old self."

The accident took place while Rudey was chasing after his ball

Ms Cork added: "When he's out he can't run as far as he used to, but it doesn't seem to bother him at all and he's still so active.

"It was such a crazy accident. Steven heard this terrible yelp and could see straight away that Rudey was in agony.

"He lifted him into the car to get home, and it was awful to see his leg so badly bent like that.

"We knew we needed help immediately."

Ms Lewis said the team found nerve damage during the surgery, which meant Rudey would not have been able to walk properly even if the leg had been saved.

"He has done spectacularly well and even by his first post-op check he came in walking fine and really happy," she added.