Kentdale Referrals in Milnthorpe helps whippet back to former self

Four-year-old whippet, Blue, was out on his usual daily walk when he had an accident while playing with a larger dog.

The incident left the animal limping and in pain before his owner eventually had to carry him home.

After seemingly recovering naturally from his injury, around a year later Blue suddenly began suffering with constant lameness and pain, sparking fears he had suffered lifechanging damage.

The whippet was referred to Kentdale Referrals in Milnthorpe where an MRI scan of his spine and hips was carried out.

The scan revealed disc associated right-sided foraminal stenosis in his lumbar spine, causing Blue to be in constant pain and unable to walk normally.

Jan Beranek, an EBVS European specialist in small animal surgery, took charge of Blue’s treatment and initially administered an epidural steroid injection to reduce the inflammation which was contributing to his significant discomfort.

However, the steroid had minimal effect and Jan planned a surgery to try to get Blue back to full health.

“After we established the steroid injection had minimal effect on Blue’s condition, we planned to carry out surgery,” said Jan.

“It was an intricate procedure and, as such, we ordered bespoke 3D-printed drill guides made to match the shape of Blue’s vertebra to allow exact placement of the implants.”

Jan, who has been a diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Surgeons since 2018, carried out a lumbosacral distraction and stabilisation, which involved using the 3D printed guides to place implants and screws to stabilise the vertebra in Blue’s spine.

The surgery to repair Blue’s spine was a success and owner Stephanie Walkington, from Preston, said her pet is now back to his old mischievous self.

“I was shocked by the diagnosis from Kentdale but, at the same time, thankful that we could finally sort out his pain,” she said.

“Kentdale explained everything and really helped to put me at ease, while Jan was amazing. He explained the two variants of Blue’s condition and what we could do.

“They even had a 3D-printed drill guide to ensure perfect screw placement for the operation which was above and beyond what I expected. Jan was also so kind and Blue loved him!

“Blue has now fully recovered, and his quality of life is amazing. He’s back to stealing things off the counter and running around with other dogs like a puppy again!”