A three-legged dog is enjoying walkies again thanks to a prosthetic paw. Miniature Schnauzer Freddie competed in agility competitions before his career was ended when vets discovered a tumour in his forefoot.
His owner Bob Boyle was warned Freddie may die unless the talented pooch had the limb amputated. Ten-year-old Freddie went under the knife at Linnaeus-owned Davies Veterinary Specialists in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, in one of the first operations of its kind in the UK.
Just weeks after last December's procedure, Freddie was back on all fours after he was fitted with a high-tech paw. The prosthetic is strapped around the ‘elbow’ joint of Freddie’s leg, which allows him to bound around like he used to before the surgery. Heartwarming videos shows Freddie playing football again and going for walkies on his new limb while undergoing intensive physiotherapy sessions.
His owner Bob, 70, of St Neots, Cambridgeshire, said: “We first thought Freddie had either jarred his paw or that a grass seed had worked its way in. When we learned what was wrong, we were incredibly shocked and concerned as Freddie is very sociable and confident with other dogs and people, so we were worried about the effect this would have on him. However, following the successful operation and after just four to five weeks of using the prosthetic he was walking, trotting and running around on his walks.”
Having the prosthetic limb fitted over a partial amputation meant preserving Freddie’s four limbs for function over being a tripawd - the term for a three-legged dog or cat.
Diane Messum, head of physiotherapy at Davies, said: “Freddie has been the perfect patient from the very first day. While many dogs will lead a fulfilled life on three limbs, it is not without the body undergoing numerous biomechanical changes in order for them to walk and run independently.
“After several conversations with Freddie’s oncologist Luca Schiavo, soft tissue surgeon Alberto Sesana and his owners, the surgery was planned very carefully and was successfully completed. The surgical wound needed time to heal before Freddie returned for his limb casting, from which the prosthesis would be made, and for which he stayed perfectly still for.
“Freddie may not have liked it when the prosthesis was initially applied or removed, but after lots of reassurance and treats, he now associates it with a limb that can give him the freedom to explore with his sister, Gertie. He has learned to walk and trot again similarly to how he walked prior to his amputation and his skills now even include football.”
