Seaham labradoodle bounces back from gruelling surgery with the help of collagen

An adorable labradoodle who endured gruelling surgery after a stone chasing incident is now back to running on the beach after taking a very unusual supplement.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Retired council worker David Fay, 63 feared six-year-old Belle would never fully enjoy life again, after an operation to repair an injury to her cruciate ligament also revealed she was suffering with arthritis.

Prior to the incident Belle and David, from Seaham, used to enjoy long walks at Hawthorn Dene, and runs along the beach which would last for hours.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But after the operation it took weeks for Belle to even put weight on her injured leg, leaving David fearing the worst."It was horrendous, she was chasing a stone and then turned suddenly and that was the start of all our problems,” he said.

David and Belle.David and Belle.
David and Belle.

"She had a big operation which involved sawing the bone and putting in plates and screws, and it was so upsetting to see her in pain, and not enjoying her life.

"To make matters worse, when the vet opened her up to do the operation, they discovered that she was also suffering with arthritis, so I knew that I would have to work hard to find solutions to help her for the rest of her life."

While Belle was recovering David researched supplements which he could give to Belle to help with her mobility, and learned that collagen is good at repairing structures in the body.

He added: "We thought that we would give it a go. The first thing I noticed was that her coat became incredibly soft, but then the stiffness that she had been experiencing since she was a puppy completely went too.

David and Belle.David and Belle.
David and Belle.

"It's been a wonderful thing, and is such a part of our routine now, we wouldn't not give it to her."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

David used ‘Colla-Gen’ by Pawable, which is the only collagen brand for dogs on the market. The product is powdered so it is easier to feed to picky pups who don't like taking tablets.

David said: "Belle is now on the beach again every day. Her injury and recovery were such a horrible experience, and I really feared the worst, who would have thought a beauty product could give Belle her happy active life back."

Collagen is a protein that is found in skin and connective tissues like joints, tendons, cartilage, and ligaments.

Belle is bouncing back.Belle is bouncing back.
Belle is bouncing back.

It is important for our bodies, but it also makes up 30% of all the protein in a dog’s body, so when it depletes over time, it can exacerbate conditions.

Pawable said its research has found that collagen has an extremely positive effect on the strength of their bones, teeth, and claws.

To find out more about Pawable, visit www.pawable.co.uk