Rev’s run of good luck

It was a walk on the beach that saved Rev, although his owners didn’t know it at the time.

This amiable Collie had been rehomed when he was seven due to a change in family circumstances.

It happens sometimes and is heartbreaking for all concerned but his best interests were catered for.

His new owners were smitten by his pleasant nature and his ability to run like the wind. Happily devoid of some of the more extreme Collie obsessions (great if you want to excel at agility or rounding up sheep but sometimes difficult to cope with in a family pet), Rev settled into his new life and all was rosy.

Or at least that’s what we thought. Rev, however, was a ticking bomb.

He exploded mid-stride while running on the sand. He bowled over, ploughing the beach with his shoulder, kicked his hind legs like a kangaroo and lay still.

From 300 yards away, his shocked owners presumed him dead but when they ran to him, he was breathing as hard as they were and his eyes spoke of his discomfort.

Bundling him up, they made for their vehicle and phoned to tell us they were coming in. You never know what to expect but usually the owner’s expression as they walk into the waiting room is a giveaway.

This time, there were smiles all round. Rev, tail wagging at all the attention, seemed to have recovered.

The cause of his collapse was not clear. There was no sign of cardiac disease. His colour, pulse and respiratory rate were normal.

A neurological examination failed to demonstrate any deficiencies. There was nothing to suggest he may have suffered a fit or seizure.

He was lean, fit, muscular and, wait a minute … he had been castrated. There were no testicles in his scrotum.

The new owners presumed he had been operated on long before they got him. But his body shape and type didn’t properly match with that.

Careful palpation of his abdomen – difficult due to the musculature and his stiffening at every touch – revealed an unusual, irregular mass situated in front of his bladder.

His prostate was larger than we would have anticipated in a neutered dog.

Further investigation was definitely required.