Tokyo Labrador Lochaber Rescue began on Sunday when Christina Bluhme’s 25kg Labrador suddenly became unwell on Ben Nevis. Tokyo lost the use of her legs and drifted in and out of consciousness before Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team was called.
Bluhme, a dog trainer from Surrey, said: “There is simply no way I could have got her safely off the mountain.” She added: “Carrying a 25kg Labrador down Ben Nevis was impossible on my own, and their kindness, professionalism and calm support meant everything.”
Ben Nevis and Crown Vets
Volunteers carried Tokyo down Ben Nevis on a stretcher to a local vet, then Tokyo received care at Crown Vets. Ben Nevis and the rescue route left no room for an improvised descent, and the stretcher transfer was the only way down for a dog that could not walk.
Bluhme said Tokyo was “critically ill after ingesting what the vets believe was cannabis left on the trail” and described the day as “one of the most frightening days I’ve ever experienced.” She also said: “I genuinely thought I was going to lose her.”
Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team
Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team said Tokyo has made a full recovery after being cared for at Crown Vets. By the following day, Tokyo had recovered, turning a mountain emergency into a fast return to normal for Bluhme and her dog.
Bluhme’s warning to other dog owners was direct: “A little reminder to fellow dog owners: please be aware that discarded drugs and other toxic substances can sometimes be found even in the most beautiful outdoor places.” She added: “It was something I never imagined we would encounter.”
Tokyo and Sunday
The unanswered part is how the cannabis ended up on the trail. Tokyo’s case shows how quickly a walk on Ben Nevis can become a veterinary emergency when a dog ingests something toxic and loses consciousness before help reaches the mountain.
