Brave Chloé’s role reversal caring for assistance dog ted

When Chloé Fuller feared her dog was dying, she was determined to do all she could to save his life

For eight-year-old springer spaniel Ted is not just Chloé’s precious pet, he is also the disabled 23-year-old’s invaluable assistance dog.

The two of them have been inseparable since Ted was a puppy, helping a hospitalised Chloé deal with the sudden onset of her life-changing heart and joint issues.

Now, the brave Lancashire lass was determined to repay the debt and do all she could to help Ted in his hour of need.

Chloé, who has a wheelchair and requires a feeding tube, said: “We are so close that it was horrific to think he could be dying. It felt like the end of the world.

“We’re hardly ever apart and he’s such a brilliant dog who does so much for me. He’s so clever he can respond to more than 100 commands to help me cope with my disabilities.

“He fetches my medicine from the cupboard and makes it safe for me to walk around by tidying up rooms, putting things away so I don’t trip over them.

“He picks up anything I drop and he takes off my clothes and loads the washing machine. If I black out and collapse, he goes to fetch my mum and a salty snack that helps me recover.

“He is a real superstar and I was devastated at the thought of losing him.”

The close bond between the two meant it was actually Chloé who first sensed Ted had a problem. Investigations at her local vets didn’t highlight any issues but Chloé remained convinced.

She eventually sought expert help from the team at Paragon, where her long-held suspicions were finally confirmed when Ted was diagnosed with a rare form of Addison’s Disease and disease in his heart valves.

Chloé was devastated by the news but reassured by  internal medicine resident Ben Safrany, who insisted all was not lost.

She said: “Ben has this unbelievable way of explaining everything so calmly and clearly, and was very reassuring, telling me everything was in hand and everything would be fine.”

Ben explained: “Ted had a particularly rare form of Addison’s Disease which does not cause changes on routine blood testing, making it much harder to diagnose.

“It’s a disease caused by a failure of the adrenal glands to function properly. They normally produce steroid (stress) hormones and hormones involved with fluid and electrolyte balance.

“If undiagnosed it can be fatal but, fortunately, when it has been diagnosed it can be treated with tablets at home and a monthly injection.

“The further good news is that treated dogs generally recover well and have a normal life expectancy. 

“Ted was also seen by Paragon Referrals cardiology specialist Chris Linney, who detected very early heart valve disease which we will now monitor with regular cardiac ultrasound scans.

“Fortunately, Ted has responded to treatment really well and we’re all delighted he has been able to return to work and normal life with Chloé.”

Ted has recovered so well he will be starring with Chloé and her new puppy, Cinna, in their ‘Super Spaniels Show’ at DogFest in Leeds next month. They are a big draw, boasting an amazing 80,000 followers on social media.

Their show focuses on 24 hours in the life of an assistance dog and highlights their skills and the many ways they can help disabled people.