Meet Edward, the super-dog who saves his owner's life nearly every night - and can even load the washing machine

• Wendy Hilling has the condition epidermolysis bullosa recessive dystrophic
• This means her skin tears and blisters at the slightest knock or scratch
• The lining of her windpipe can also blister and close at any time
• Her dog, Edward, wakes her husband, Peter, up if she stops breathing
• Edward can also undress her, load the washing machine, get cash from a cash machine and pick up anything she drops
• Mrs Hilling said: ‘I love Edward more than words can say. I hold his lead and he holds my heart.'

A woman with a rare skin condition has told how her assistance dog, Edward, has saved her life time and again.
Wendy Hilling, 64, has epidermolysis bullosa recessive dystrophic, which means her skin tears and blisters at the slightest knock.
The condition also affects her throat, meaning it can blister and close at any time causing her to stop breathing.

Wendy Hilling, 64, has epidermolysis bullosa recessive dystrophic which means that her skin tears and blisters at the slightest knock. She is pictured with her canine partner, Edward

Before Mrs Hilling, from North Devon, had Edward she and her husband, Peter, had to take it in turns to sleep at night so he could make sure she had not stopped breathing.
Mr Hilling also had to stop work to care for his wife who requires help walking as her balance is poor.
However, in 2008 Mrs Hilling’s life turned around when she was paired with her canine partner, Edward, a golden retriever.

Mrs Hilling said: ‘My throat became a nightmare to live with. My balance was bad - I had to hold onto Peter to walk and would not go out on my own at all. The pressure on Peter was tremendous.’
She added: ‘Edward was to be the making of me. I am so wrapped up in him and his wellbeing that I don’t worry like I used to.
‘The help he gives me is a bonus, and his companionship and his loyalty are the best thing about having him. He is always there for me. I have reduced my painkillers since having him.’

The condition also affects Mrs Hillings throat, which is only as wide as a five pence piece, meaning that it can blister and close at any time causing her to stop breathing. If this happens Edward wakes her husband, Peter

Before Mrs Hilling had Edward she and her husband, Peter, had to take it in turns to sleep at night so that he could make sure she had not stopped breathing. Edward can also take money from a cash machine (pictured)

Since having Edward, Mr and Mrs Hilling have been able to sleep at the same time as they know that he will alert Mr Hilling if his wife stops breathing.
Mrs Hilling said: ‘My husband is my carer, but now we have Edward it gives him time off. When Edward was about ten-months-old, my husband had fallen asleep and I stopped breathing. Edward immediately woke him up.
‘Edward has proved to be so reliable at waking Peter that we can both go off to sleep knowing he will save my life.’
If Mrs Hilling stops breathing, Edward alerts her husband by pulling his pillow out from under his head or by pawing at him.

Mrs Hilling says Edward can open and close doors, load and unload the washing machine, get a towel off the radiator, find named items, get shopping off a shelf, and hand her purse to the cashier

Edward sometimes has to wake Mr Hilling several times a night but Mrs Hilling does not always require an ambulance

Then, while Mr Hilling helps his wife, the dog presses an alarm button to summon an ambulance.
Sometimes Edward has to wake Mr Hilling several times a night but an ambulance is not always required.

She added: ‘When the pain is very bad, I cuddle up to him or he gets a toy.

WHAT IS EPIDERMOLYSIS BULLOSA?

Epidermolysis bullosa is a group of skin conditions that cause blistering in response to minor injuries, heat, rubbing or scratching.
It is usually inherited and tends to show symptoms from childhood.
Symptoms include blistering, loss of fingernails and toenails, internal blistering - particularly in the throat, wind pipe, stomach, and intestines - dental problems, and difficulty swallowing.  
Severe forms of the condition can cause complications which can be fatal.
There is currently no cure and treatment focuses on tackling the symptoms, providing pain relief, and preventing infection.
Dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, like Mrs Hilling has, is caused by faulty genes which produce collagen, a strong protein in the fibres that holds the skin together.
Complications of the condition include skin infections, blood poisoning, fusion of the finger and toe joints, malnutrition due to blistering of the mouth or throat, anemia, skin cancer and a constricted oesophagus.

‘At home he helps me get out of bed, fetches my crutches and clothes, and picks up anything I drop or need from the floor.
‘He can open and close doors, load and unload the washing machine, get a warm towel off the radiator after a shower, find named items, get my shopping off the shelf and then hand the purse to the cashier. He can also get help for me, undress me, and balance me when I walk.’
She went on to explain: 'My hands are shrinking. I already have hands the size of a three-year-old and the skin comes off so easily.
'My hands are just closing up. Because of this I can’t easily handle anything and the condition means I shouldn’t bend down, so Teddy does that for me.
'He loads and unloads the washing machine and picks up anything that I drop or anything that I need.
'Teddy handles money for me when I go shopping, handing it over at the counter and taking it from the cashpoint.
'Sometimes it’s easier because people don’t like the look of my skin and it’s easier if Teddy does it for me. I’ve had shopkeepers drop money from a height into my hands so they don’t have to touch me.'
Edward is even able to call an ambulance if Mrs Hilling needs it.
She said: ‘One night I found myself struggling to breathe and Peter was trying to help.
‘He needed to call 999, but he couldn’t leave me to use the telephone. To avoid this Edward can now press an emergency line while Peter looks after me.’
Edward is so important to Mrs Hilling that he is now allowed to stay in hospital with her when she requires treatment.

If Mrs Hilling stops breathing, Edward alerts her husband by pulling his pillow out from under his head or by pawing at him. He then presses an alarm (pictured) to summon an ambulance

If Mrs Hilling has to go into hospital, Edward goes with her because he is so gentle that he is better able to undress her without hurting her skin than a nurse would be

She has to be admitted to be placed on a drip if her throat closes and Edward always goes with her.
She said: ‘If I have to go into hospital he even stays in hospital with me, as it would make my throat close if I got upset at being parted from him.
‘The nurses have also found that he is the best one to undress me as he causes less trauma to my skin when he does it - no-one is as gentle as he is.
'If a human dresses or undresses me, they might catch me with a nail, but Teddy is so gentle the nurses prefer to let him help me.'
Mrs Hilling is convinced that Edward has saved her life on many occasions.
For example, she explained that she was once making her husband a cheese sandwich when she accidentally swallowed some cheese – something that aggravates her throat.

Mrs Hilling says that she once swallowed some cheese which caused her throat to close and she believed she was going to die but Edward barked until her husband came to save her

Mrs Hilling believed that she was going to die as she felt her legs giving way.
However, Edward barked and barked until Mr Hilling heard him and came running to save her life.
She said: ‘We now know without a shadow of doubt that we owe my life to one faithful, loyal dog, Edward.
‘What was once a dream for me has become a reality thanks to Edward, I never thought I could be this happy.
‘I have gone from being constantly afraid of what people think, to the outgoing and carefree person I am now thanks to Edward and Canine Partners.
‘I love Edward more than words can say, after all - I hold his lead and he holds my heart.’

Mrs Hilling said: 'I love Edward more than words can say, after all - I hold his lead and he holds my heart'

Mrs Hilling added: ‘Nothing can explain the feeling inside me when I wake knowing the day is mine. With Edward I instantly go from the one who is cared for, to the one who is caring. 
‘I always wanted to study art but felt I couldn’t. Since having Edward, I have completed two years at art college and passed my art and design level two.
‘We have even bought a caravan where Edward helps to take off the water carrier cover, undo the awning zip, and zip up my sleeping bag.’
Epidermolysis bullosa is a group of skin conditions that cause blistering in response to minor injuries, heat, rubbing or scratching.
It is usually inherited and tends to show symptoms from childhood.
Symptoms include blistering, loss of fingernails and toenails, internal blistering - particularly in the throat, wind pipe, stomach, and intestines - dental problems, and difficulty swallowing. 

Mrs Hilling said that since she has had Edward she feels like the one who is caring rather than the one who is being cared for

Severe forms of the condition can cause complications which can be fatal.
There is currently no cure and treatment focuses on tackling the symptoms, providing pain relief, and preventing infection.
Dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, like Mrs Hilling has, is caused by faulty genes which produce collagen, a strong protein in the fibres that holds the skin together.
Complications of the condition include skin infections, blood poisoning, fusion of the finger and toe joints, malnutrition due to blistering of the mouth or throat, anaemia due to bleeding wounds, skin cancer, and a constricted oesophagus.

Edward was trained by Canine Partners, a charity that trains dogs to help injured servicemen and women, veterans, and civilians with disabilities. Image shows a puppy called Martha in training

Edward was trained by Canine Partners, a charity that trains dogs to help injured servicemen and women, veterans, and civilians with disabilities.
The charity currently has 242 trained dogs helping people across the country and 120 puppies in training.
The puppies are chosen for training when they are eight-weeks-old and are fully trained by the age of 18 months.
For more information, visit www.caninepartners.org.uk