Custom printed spine piece: Paralyzed puppy regains its legs

A six-month-old puppy who was suddenly paralyzed due to a spinal problem has been able to regain his legs thanks to medical screws custom-printed in 3D for him.

“It's been a long road, but in the last week he's started playing and becoming himself. It's a great feeling to be a puppy again,” Natalie Jones, owner of little Arthur, enthused to British media ITVX last week.

A few months earlier, the six-month-old cockapoo had given his family quite a scare when he was paralyzed on the ground and let out a sudden yelp before choking violently.

The terrified woman was rushed to Chestergates Veterinary Hospital in Cheshire-United, UK after losing her two-year-old cockapoo, Rupert, to a sudden illness just six months ago.

Medical tests revealed that part of the puppy's spine was not connected properly, so the bone was compressing his spinal cord, causing him to lose function in his legs.

But due to the proximity of the brain stem, these bony deformities put his life at risk, leaving his healthcare team with no choice but to urgently perform a delicate operation in which 3D medical screws seem tailor-made. For the puppy, head veterinarian Rocio Orlandi told ITVX.

“Arthur's condition is very serious […] The use of 3D printing technology improves the accuracy of this complex surgical operation, which was successful, significantly improving Arthur's prognosis,” he explained.

Five hours later, his owner, who was worried that the puppy hadn't come home, got a call saying the operation went well and he was recovering.

The first days were more difficult, as he had to wear an orthopedic device that immobilized him from stomach to head, but he struggled to use his legs. But his tail quickly regained its strength, to the great joy of his family.

“They gave our beautiful boy a second chance and it means everything to us,” his owner concluded to ITVX.