An animal charity has helped five-year-old Dachshund Bella to “walk again”.
She was referred to the Animal Health Trust’s (AHT) Small Animal Centre, based in Kentford near Newmarket, from the RSPCA’s Southend branch at the end of February.
Bella, an indoor dog, had lost the movement and feeling in her back legs which was also causing her a lot of pain.
She was assessed by Elsa Beltran, senior clinician in neurology, who suspected a lesion in her spinal cord.
Bella underwent Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of her spine, which revealed a large slipped disc compressing her spinal cord. Ms Beltran then performed emergency surgery to remove a ruptured spinal disc.
The operation went well and Bella started receiving daily physiotherapy, including the use of the AHT’s underwater treadmill in its hydrotherapy centre.
Four days after surgery, Ms Beltran and another nurse noticed some movement in one of her hind feet and the next day she was able to move her left back leg.
She received daily care from the dedicated nursing team and was able to move to a new home with a family in March.
Gaining more strength each day, Bella has started moving both legs and is walking unaided.
Ms Beltran said: “It is so rewarding to see lovely Bella walking again and wagging her tail. The hard work of the AHT small animal team has definitely paid off and I am also so pleased that Bella has found a great family that can love her as she deserves. Bella is a real fighter.”
Bella had to return to the AHT a few weeks later with another slipped disc, but the charity says she has made a full recovery following more surgery and is now walking even better than before.
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