Emmerdale actor Malandra Burrows claims her dog alerted her to cancer developing in her left breast.
The soap star was diagnosed with breast cancer in February and revealed she was undergoing treatment last month.
Malandra Burrows rose to fame while taking on the role of Kathy Glover in Emmerdale.
Neil Munns
Burrows announced her ongoing illness with the aim of raising awareness of the condition.
The ex-Emmerdale star played Kathy Glover in the long-running soap.
In a new interview, Burrows says that she noticed something was afoot when her dog was being unusually observant.
She told The Mirror: "She insisted on lying on my chest and was constantly nuzzling me.
Malandra Burrows found a swollen gland on her breast after being 'thumped' by her dog.
Yui Mok
"She just kept looking up at me, staring in a very strange way, then without any warning, she thumped me with her head on my left breast so hard it brought tears to my eyes."
Burrows said that the impact of her dog's "thump" prompted her to check if there was any visible industry on her breast.
“It hurt so much that before I went to bed I checked to see if there was any bruising, which was the moment I felt something that had never been there before,” she explained.
Burrows is now undergoing chemotherapy for stage three cancer.
Yui Mok
Initially, she thought the dog left just a swollen gland, but it remained a couple of days later.
She then contacted her GP who advised her to come in for a check.
Burrows is now undergoing chemotherapy for stage three cancer, after being diagnosed some weeks later.
The actress stated: “If it were not for Teddy I would never have known about this and I honestly believe she saved my life.
“She’s a truly wonderful little character, we have such a strong bond and I’m so grateful for her. I’ve even forgiven her for chewing up the sun lounger.”