Scruffy, a four-year-old Lhasa Apso, went into anaphylactic shock in his owner's garden at Holme-on-Spalding Moor.

He was taken to the vet's but stopped breathing during the journey. The quick thinking of his owner's family saved the dog's life.

Joan Phillips, Scruffy's owner, was with her family enjoying an afternoon in the back garden of her home in Springfield Gardens when the incident happened.

Danny Magrath, from the family, said: "Scruffy chased a big bumble bee inside. I was too late to stop him and he had bitten into it."

Elaine Clark, Mr Magrath's and Mrs Phillips' granddaughter, said: "Within minutes he started being sick. It was anaphylactic shock, an immediate reaction – he started lying down."

Mr Magrath said: "We had to make a decision quickly and decided to take him down to Wicstun vets at Market Weighton. We got him in the car and Elaine had him in her lap. Halfway down, between here and the vet's, he went into seizure."

Mrs Clark said: "I couldn't find any signs of him breathing – I thought he had died. I was frightened."

She said she had had first aid training for her job at the Old School House Nursery in Sancton and because one of the youngsters who attends is allergic to nuts, all the staff are well informed about anaphylactic shock. Mrs Clark also said she had previously read a book about canine resuscitation.

She said: "I put my hand round his muzzle to seal his muzzle and blew into his nose. I did it once and he breathed out and I could feel his heart and pulse."

When they got to the vet's he was given an adrenaline injection which seemed to revive him.

Mr Magrath said: "If I had been on my own I don't think he would have survived. He's a lovely dog and he's lucky she was here."

Mrs Clark said: "I was quite prepared to do CPR but his breathing had come back. We left him with the vet and although he seemed better we didn't know if he'd pull through."

But the vet called 30 minutes later to say Scruffy had recovered and could go home.

Scruffy seems undeterred by the episode and is already back outside chasing bees. Mr Magrath said: "He's very happy now, he's back to normal, 100 per cent."

Mrs Phillips said: "The first thing he did when he got back was look for his dinner bowl."