How celebrity doctor Sally Cockburn’s shih-tzu–cavalier cross Molly saved her life

DR SALLY Cockburn, also known as Dr Feelgood, collapsed at her Bayside home on Sunday morning from a potentially deadly blood clot blocking her lungs. But her life was saved by Alfred hospital specialists — and her pampered pooch, Molly.

Dr Sally Cockburn at The Alfred hospital with a photo of her beloved dog Molly, who helped save her life. Picture: Tony Gough

CELEBRITY doctor Sally Cockburn’s life has been saved by Alfred hospital specialists — and her pampered pooch, Molly.

Dr Cockburn, known in the media as Dr Feelgood, collapsed at her Bayside home on Sunday morning from a potentially deadly blood clot blocking her lungs.

She was awakened by her shih-tzu–cavalier cross licking her face and whimpering.

MELBOURNE SCIENTISTS USE MICROBUBBLES TO BUST BLOOD CLOTS

EDITHVALE MAN SAVES HIS DOG WITH MOUTH-TO-NOSE

“I went out to feed the dog and suddenly found this incredible shortness of breath,” Dr Cockburn told the Herald Sun.

“It was like suffocation. I got myself on the floor, and I don’t know what happened then. The next thing I noticed the dog sniffing around my hair, panting and licking my face. I called triple-0.”

Scans revealed a clot extending up to Dr Cockburn’s heart and almost completely blocking both major arteries, a condition that is often fatal. Specialists admitted her to intensive care and administered a clot-busting drug.

Dr Cockburn said: “When I came back from the CT scan, all these ­intensive-care people were around me putting drips in me and doing all sorts of things, and very soon they started the clot-busting drugs.

“I was on maximum oxygen and still wasn’t getting enough air because my lungs just basically weren’t working,” she said. “Most people don’t survive this.

“It was such a massive clot. We got it at the right time ... any longer and it was getting to the point where blood was not getting to my lungs.”

Dr Sally Cockburn was awakened on Sunday morning by her shih-tzu–cavalier cross Molly licking her face and whimpering. Picture: Tony Gough

Dr Cockburn, who is hoping to return home on Thursday, told the Herald Sun she was in awe of the team who saved her life — and of Molly.

“I have made a recovery from this, so my view is every day is a bloody bonus,” Dr Cockburn said.

One of the intensive-care doctors who treated her had been a guest on her 3AW show, Talking Health.

Dr Vincent Pellegrino said it had been a good sign she was able to recognise him and try to talk, but her condition had been critical.

“The embolism was massive: she had the majority of both pulmonary arteries blocked,” he said.

“The outcome with that sort of clot is pretty certain.

“It was most clearly life-threatening, and we were still worried about her until she started improving that afternoon. Luckily, the (drugs) starting working quite ­quickly, and the general rule of thumb is once you can get through the first 24 hours, your survival goes right up.”

Dr Cockburn has since been keeping an eye on Molly via a “doggie cam” feeding live footage from her home.

“My family has rallied around her,” she said.

“She is watching the house, but she seems to keep going back to the place on the couch where I last sat with her. The only other place she goes is the cushion where my head was (when she had the embolism). She is obviously waiting for me to come home.

“She is very special,” Dr Cockburn said.

“I think dogs sense when something is wrong. I could tell she was worried about me, but I couldn’t do anything.”

[e-mail]

MORE HERALD SUN NEWS:

WHY THIS FAMILY VICTORIAN FARM SOLD FOR $200M

VIDEO: AUTISTIC BOY BEATEN IN VICIOUS GANG ATTACK

NEW LAWS TO TARGET SCALPERS AT AFL FINALS