A climb up Britain’s highest mountain turned into a rescue mission when a black Labrador suddenly became seriously ill and collapsed en route. The dog’s owner later learned that the five-year-old Labrador had likely ingested discarded cannabis during the climb.Tokyo, a working Labrador, was hiking on Ben Nevis in Scotland on July 5 with his owner, professional dog trainer Christina Bluhm, her 17-year-old son Magnus, and another dog when he suddenly lost the use of his legs.She was rescued by the Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team and later made a full recovery after treatment at a nearby veterinary hospital.
how tokyo collapsed
Bluhme said Tokyo remained completely normal during most of the surge. The dog was eating food, drinking water and walking leisurely while the group climbed Ben Nevis, which stands at an altitude of 1,345 metres. However, about an hour before reaching the summit, Tokyo began to stumble and her hind legs became weak.“Initially, I thought it might be a spinal cord or disc that had slipped because of the climb, but then she started to lose consciousness,” Bluhme said, as quoted by CNN. “I was standing on that mountain thinking, that’s it, I’m going to lose him,” she said.As the weather worsened with rain and low temperatures, Bluhme realized she couldn’t carry the 25-kilogram Labrador down the mountain on her own.
rescue
A fellow passenger suggested calling the emergency services. Fortunately, volunteers from the Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team had already helped another casualty near the summit and were nearby.Rescuers placed Tokyo on a stretcher and carried him down a steep mountain path for about an hour before taking him to Crown Vets in Fort William.Bluhme praised the rescue team, saying, “Without the incredible Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team, there was no way I would have been able to get him off the mountain safely,” the BBC reported.He added, “Their kindness, professionalism and calm support meant everything to me during one of the most frightening days I have ever experienced.”
A Labrador Retriever recovering at Crown Vets in Fort William, Scotland (Associated Press Photo)
possibility of poisoning
Veterinarians initially considered whether Tokyo had suffered a spinal cord injury. However, after examining her symptoms, a senior veterinarian suspected that she had been exposed to neurotoxins.After consulting with the poison control center, veterinarians concluded that Tokyo’s symptoms were consistent with cannabis intoxication. According to Bluhme, veterinarians believe the Labrador may have eaten discarded cannabis or food left over along the way.Tokyo was treated with activated charcoal and intravenous fluids. She recovered overnight and was back to normal the next day. “The next day it was as if nothing had ever happened,” Bluhme said, according to a report by the Associated Press. “She recovered so quickly,” he said.Bluhme also said that the incident came as a shock as he never thought his dog would encounter drugs on a mountain trail. “I really thought I was going to lose him,” she said, as quoted by the BBC, and she also urged other pet owners to be cautious during walks.