A Jersey couple travelled to Hampshire for specialist veterinary treatment after their miniature schnauzer spent 18 months “squealing in pain” and unable to be touched.
Sarah and Neil Whitehead said their seven-year-old dog Eevee had become so distressed that even the lightest contact around her head or neck would cause her to cry out.
In Jersey, vets discovered a small piece of metal and removed it, believing it could have been the source of the problem. However, the procedure did not relieve Eevee’s suffering.
Sarah said Eevee was “still screaming and none of the medications and physiotherapy sessions she had made any difference”.
“She couldn’t bear to be touched around her head or neck and just looked so miserable and lethargic,” the owner added.
“Neil was sleeping on the sofa beside her because she was crying in the night. It was so distressing to see, and when nothing was working after 18 months, we knew we had to try something else.”
The couple were eventually accepted at the Southern Counties Veterinary Specialists referral centre in Hampshire and made the journey from Jersey, booking ferries and accommodation for the trip.
Once there, Eevee underwent a neurological examination and an MRI scan. Specialists discovered a fluid-filled cyst in her spinal canal as well as instability in her upper neck.
Veterinary surgeons then carried out a complex operation, placing screws between the dog’s vertebrae to stabilise the spine while also treating the cyst.
The schnauzer remained in hospital for several days before returning home to Jersey, where her owners say she is now recovering well.
According to Sarah, the change in her pet has been dramatic.
“Her tail’s up, her eyes are brighter, and she’s barking and running around again like her old self,” she said.
Francesca Raimondi, a vet at Southern Counties Veterinary Specialists, said the surgery required extreme precision.
“Every millimetre is critical and if you get it wrong, there can be very serious consequences. So we printed custom 3-D guides here to help us position the screws precisely,” she said.
“It was an even more challenging procedure as we also had to operate from a different direction to deal with the cyst, where we used titanium mesh.
“It was a really extensive surgery, and we needed a team to keep Eevee safely anaesthetised for a long time, as well as doing the neurological work.”
