Bulldog Tears Off Vet’s Nose During Exam (Exclusive) [Video]

Veterinary oncologist Christine Merrick went to work on Feb. 8, 2023, expecting a normal day at the office.

The 51-year-old from Stamford, Conn., had been treating animals for 15 years. One of her patients that day was an English bulldog with lymphoma named Max.

“The dog was edgy. We all knew he was edgy,” says Merrick, who works at Katonah Bedford Veterinary Center, a 24-hour emergency practice in Bedford Hills, New York.

After the staff muzzled him to check his vitals and do a blood draw, they took off the muzzle, as was common practice at what Merrick calls her “chemo spa.”

“I wasn’t afraid of him, so I would not muzzle him,” she tells PEOPLE. “I wanted him to love it here. He would come running in the door because he would be so happy to be here for his cookies.” 

Merrick examined the dog, and was feeding him …