Mum Chloe was on holiday when she was bitten by a cat, but her dogs made sure she got an urgent test back home in the UK
A mum almost died from rabies after being bitten by a stray cat on holiday in Turkey – but had her life saved when her dogs sniffed out the deadly disease. Chloe Kelly, 44, was bitten on the heel while eating in a restaurant at the 5 star La Blanche Resort, in Bodrum, 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 dogs for saving her life. The single mum-of-two had been wanting to catch up on some sleep 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, of Exeter, 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 in Bodrum, 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. I didn’t know it was there and I just moved my chair back which scraped along the marble and obviously startled it.
“Animals with rabies tend to be more aggressive and this cat just sunk its teeth into my heel. I only saw it when it ran off. It was really painful and I was screaming in pain, there was bloody everywhere but not one member of staff came to see how I was. Somebody could have recommended I go to hospital as rabies is obviously a concern over there, but nobody said a word.
“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.”
Chloe has now been left with nerve damage which has led to her giving up her job as a support worker in a secured children’s home. She is currently trying to make ends meet running a hair salon despite living in daily pain following her ordeal, which happened in September 2022.
Chloe added: “I lost my job as I could no longer cope with such a physically demanding role. I also lost my home as it was attached to my support worker role so I’m staying with friends at the moment. I also had to rehome my youngest dog Bronson as he is quite a hyperactive dog, so it really has had a profound effect on my life.
“But I just count myself luckily I’m still here. I’ve never been a big fan of cats – and I’m certainly not one now. “
The NHS says rabies is a rare but serious infection that’s usually caught from a bite or scratch of an infected animal. They say it is almost always fatal once symptoms appear but vaccination and early treatment can prevent it. Symptoms include: numbness or tingling where you were bitten or scratched, hallucinations, feeling very anxious or energetic, difficulty swallowing or breathing and paralysis.
The La Blanche Resort has been approached for comment.