A TEACHING assistant has shared her horrific injuries after her lip was torn off by the family's beloved dog.

Abbie Whitehead, 22, was cuddling her dog Woody when the Lancashire Heeler savaged her face, leaving blood pouring from her lip.

6 Abbie Whitehead was cuddling her dog Woody last Thursday when the tiny Lancashire Heeler savaged her face Credit: Kennedy News and Media

Abbie was taken to hospital where she was operated on for two hours as surgeons tried to reconstruct her lip and chin.

She believes Woody bit her last week because he'd been nursing a sore ear.

Abbie, from Radcliffe, in Greater Manchester, said: "I was in my bedroom with my dog. He was stood at my door waiting to be let out.

"I'm always mithering him and cuddling him. I bent down to squeeze him and I went to the side where he'd had a sore ear. As I knelt down he yelped but he didn't growl or bark.

"I'd gone in to kiss him and he caught my lip.

"I was in complete shock. I didn't even feel him bite me - I thought he'd bust my lip. I thought he'd headbutted me."

6 Abbie's boyfriend John rushed her to Fairfield Hospital in Bury Credit: Kennedy News and Media

6 Abbie with her beloved pet dog Woody Credit: Kennedy News and Media

Abbie quickly realised seven-year-old Woody had torn off part of her lip.

She recalled: "After he bit me, both of my hands were covered with blood. It was all over the floor and pouring out of my face.

"I couldn't feel the pain because of the shock.

"The chunk was around two centimetres deep and quite wide - pretty much the whole left side of my lip.

"It was only when I felt all the blood pouring out that I realised it was really bad.

"When my boyfriend John saw my face he jumped straight into the car and rushed up the road to A&E. My mum nearly fainted."

6 Abbie was left with 15 stitches and will wait until the New Year to find out if she needs plastic surgery Credit: Kennedy News and Media

After her lip had been cleaned up she had surgery to try and stitch it back together.

The 22-year-old was left with 15 stitches and will have to wait until the New Year to find out whether she needs plastic surgery.

She said: "I'll be left with a scar down my lip and my chin, but hopefully with make-up and time it'll be easy to cover up."

6 Abbie's lip was torn off by her pet dog Woody Credit: Kennedy News and Media

6 Abbie believes Woody bit her because he'd been nursing a sore ear Credit: Kennedy News and Media

Abbie said: "It's awful when you love your dog that much. We've had him since he was born.

"When Woody bit me, he didn't run away or anything because he knew that he'd hurt me.

"Every time I see him I point to my face and say 'look what you've done', but I'm going to take him for some walks this week so he knows I haven't fallen out with him.

MOST READ IN NEWS HAPPY MEAL McDonald’s worker pays customer’s bill after he calls mum to ask for her order STORE TOT SNATCH Family's horror as 'kidnap gang try to rip girl, 1, from pram' in TK Maxx Exclusive PIERS PRESSURE Couple wiped out village's internet for 18 MONTHS to watch Piers on £30 TV Exclusive HAPPY MEAL McDonald’s worker who paid for lad’s meal has secretly bought food for MONTHS NEVER FORGET PM & celebs backs The Sun's campaign to save the Poppy Appeal from coronavirus DOMINANT STRAIN New Covid mutation is 'more contagious & could adapt to get round masks'

"I want people to know that they should always have their eye on their babies or children near a dog.

"If the same thing had happened to a baby, I don't think it would have survived.

"They wouldn't have stood a chance and my dog is so tiny. You should always be chin upwards from dogs too."

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.