Leo back on his feet again after 14 months

A cockapoo that sustained a spinal injury while playing with a ball is finally able to walk again after 14 months of surgeries and therapies at a Cumbria practice.

Five-year-old Leo underwent three spinal operations, as well as intensive physiotherapy and hydrotherapy rehabilitation courses during his treatment at Kentdale Referrals in Milnthorpe.

Paraplegic

Kentdale managing director Toby Gemmill said Leo’s recovery was a tribute to both the dog’s determination and the multidisciplinary expertise of the talented team at the referral centre.

When Leo was first brought to the centre vets noticed he was paraplegic and in a lot of pain, and suspected it was due to a lesion within the mid-lumbar of his spine.

Disc extrusion

A CT scan confirmed the presence of a recent disc extrusion, which was putting pressure on the spinal cord.

Mr Gemmill said: “The prognosis was not good, as only 50% of dogs recover from this type of damage, but after discussions with Leo’s owners, we decided to operate.

“A hemilaminectomy was performed on the discs, and a large amount of disc and haematoma was removed.”

Two surgeries

The initial surgery was carried out by RCVS specialist in small animal surgery Graham Hayes, with the following two surgeries performed by Joe Higgins, European College of Veterinary Surgeons resident in small animal surgery.

A week after surgery, Leo began physiotherapy and rehabilitation aimed at improving his ability to stand upright unassisted, and build back his balance.

‘Amazed’

Veterinary physiotherapist at the practice Eugenie Wilcocks said: “Leo has amazed us all with his dogged determination, and his owners have been equally determined and diligent.

“His owners again started the process of restoring his full function through rehabilitative exercises at home and it’s all going well.”