25 Feb 2022
Four-year-old whippet was referred to Kentdale Referrals in Milnthorpe after owners noticed it had begun suffering with constant lameness and pain.
Joshua Silverwood
Job Title
A whippet is back on its feet after vets at a Cumbrian animal hospital carried out specialist spinal surgery using bespoke 3D-printed guides tailored to its spine.
A year after seemingly recovering from an injury that left him limping, four-year-old Blue was referred to Kentdale Referrals in Milnthorpe after his owners noticed he had begun suffering with constant lameness and pain.
A CT scan revealed disc-associated right-sided foraminal stenosis in his lumbar spine, causing Blue to be in constant pain and unable to walk normally.
Specialist in small animal surgery at the practice Jan Beranek took charge of Blue’s treatment and initially administered an epidural steroid injection to reduce the inflammation, which was contributing to his significant discomfort.
Dr Beranek said: “After we established the steroid injection had minimal effect on Blue’s condition, we planned to carry out surgery.
“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.”
Dr Beranek, 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 Blue’s owner from Preston said her pet is back to his old mischievous self.
