‘I nearly died from rabies after being bitten by stray cat but my dogs – and a vaccine from Northampton – saved my life’

Chloe Kelly, 44, received emergency treatment thanks to her dogs raising the alarm and a vaccine was flown in from Northampton, as it was the only treatment available.

Chloe was bitten on the heel while eating in a restaurant at a five-star resort on the last day of a week long break.

The hairdresser was left in agony but caught the flight back to Britain where she credits her two pet pooches for saving her life.

The single mum-of-two had been wanting to catch up on some sleep upon her return home before planning on calling her GP to book in a tetanus jab.

But she says her two Staffy/boxer cross breeds Zeus, five and Bronson, four, would not stop sniffing her foot or leave her alone as she prepared to nap.

Chloe then decided to phone 111 where call-handlers immediately recommended she get to A&E straight away.

Unbeknown to her, Chloe was in a race against time to get treated within 24 hours as by then the disease can spread to the brain and prove fatal.

Tests at Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital confirmed she had rabies before a vaccine and treatment was urgently flown down from Northampton.

Chloe said: "If it wasn't for my dogs, I wouldn't have survived - they 100 per cent saved my life.

"I had been with my youngest daughter, who was 20 at the time, on a week long holiday, we'd had a lovely time and it was the last night.

"We were eating in the restaurant before our transfer back to the airport when I was bitten by this ginger cat which was under the table.

"It was really painful and I was screaming in pain, there was blood everywhere but not one member of staff came to see how I was.

"At that point so close to the end of the holiday you just want to get home, it was only half an hour until our transfer so we caught that and flew home.

"Little did I know at this point the clock was ticking as with rabies you need to get treated within 24 hours or else you're pretty much dead.

"After returning home at around 6.30am I was hoping not to disturb the dogs and get a couple of hours sleep.

"I thought I'd call the GP to arrange for a tetanus jab for maybe the following Monday as it was a Friday.

"But the dogs heard me and they got up and both began constantly sniffing this wound where I had been bitten.

"They wouldn't let it lie, it was just constant sniffing and they were really unsettled, looking back I feel they were clearly trying to tell me something.

"If I had gone to bed for those two hours it would have delayed any possible treatment even longer and probably proved fatal."

Instead, Chloe dialled 111 and was advised by a call-handler to get to hospital as soon as possible or they could send an ambulance.

She added: "I still didn't realise the potential seriousness at this point, they wanted to send an ambulance but I just got a taxi up there.

"When I pulled back the plaster the wound was already going grey and rotting and they cut away some of the flesh eating bacteria.

"I had blood tests and it was confirmed I had rabies - I was stunned and just in total shock.

"The only treatment for rabies was located in Northampton so it was flown down to the hospital.

"Unfortunately, I didn't receive the treatment within 24 hours of the bite, it had been 26 hours, so it was a bit of a waiting game.

"I can't explain what that was like and it lasted for weeks as it rabies can take three to 10 weeks to kill people.

"But they were just so unsure and couldn't give me any answers because rabies is so rare over here. It was the first case the hospital ever had.

"I also read there's been only nine cases worldwide where anyone had survived past the 24 hour mark - so I was extremely lucky.

"But as I was bitten on my foot, it was the furthest away from my brain as you could get and I think that's what has saved me.

"If it had been my hand I probably wouldn't be here today, it has been pretty traumatic to say the least."