TWO troublesome yet adorable border terriers have been honoured by an Okehampton veterinary practice after bravely overcoming treatment following a nasty scrape with a badger.

Monty and Daisy decided to explore a badger hole near their owners' farm near Moretonhampstead and the uninvited visitors received short shrift from the occupants.

The terriers went missing from their home for three days before returning with wounds.

Their owners, Mr and Mrs Monaghan, rushed them to Okeford Veterinary Centre where the dogs went straight into surgery with vet Philip Davis.

Veterinary nurse Faye Hannaford said that both were dehydrated and suffering from mild shock and matted with fleas, ticks and maggots.

'The wounds were severe and the skin had been pulled away from the bottom jaw and begun to turn necrotic. They were immediately placed onto intravenous fluids; both pain relief and antibiotic were administered.

'Monty and Daisy needed a general anaesthetic the following week when more necrotic tissue was removed and the wounds sutured.'

'Over the course of the week with intense nursing care to their wounds the terrible two began to get a lot brighter and show what true characters they were.'

Monty required two small wounds to be sutured, while Daisy's surgery was more complicated, requiring a skin graft to cover the wounds.

After the pair had been cared for at the surgery for four weeks the delighted and relieved Mr and Mrs Monaghan took their pets home.

Faye told the Times: 'Monty and Daisy were very brave and that's why we decided to give them our "Braveheart" award. The two terrible terriers were sent home with strict instructions from the nurses not to go chasing badgers again!'