A Novosibirsk veterinarian saved the life of a female dog found in a forest in southwestern Russia. After a demanding operation, the dog learns to walk again using prostheses that were printed on a 3D printer.
Abused Dog Missing Paws
Crossbreed Monika was found in poor condition in a forest in Krasnodar, Russia, in December 2020. She was hypothermic, frightened, and had only bloody wounds on her legs instead of paws. It was clear that the dog was unable to walk. In such cases, the animals are fallen asleep.
“No one knows what happened to her, but the volunteers believe that someone cruelly cut off her legs,” said Sergei Gorshkov, a 33-year-old veterinarian who cares for the dog. The people who maimed the dog were never found.
But vet Sergei Gorshkov saved her life. He operated on all the injured legs. Monica’s new legs were printed on a 3D printer. The prostheses are made of titanium alloy and coated with a special layer, thanks to which the implant looks like a real bone, said the Meduza server. The demanding and costly operation was financed by an online collection.
Prostheses Successful Application
The veterinarian performed similar operations on cats. He made prostheses for the dog for the first time. “We have never done this before. No one had done it before. It’s complicated when it’s a dog. She weighs more than a cat. This dog has leg deformities. So, we considered all the pros and cons. And we found that if we failed, we would at least return to where we were at the beginning. “
Before the volunteers sent the dog to Siberian Novosibirsk, they trained her in the pool for several months so that she would not gain weight. Weight is a crucial factor in this operation. Monika underwent surgery in November last year. Gorshkov is surprised at how quickly the dog heals and gets stronger.
Abandoned and abused Monika can run again. The vet proved that even animals can be given a new chance for life. After her recovery, she will work with a London animal behavior specialist to prepare her for life in a new family.
Source: https://meduza.io/feature/2021/11/19/posle-vstrechi-s-zhivoderami-dvornyazhka-monika-ostalas-bez-lap-sibirskie-vrachi-sdelali-dlya-nee-novye-iz-titana, featured photo by Kirill Kukhmar/TASS/Moscow Times.
