Remy, Jazz & Olive

Andy and Petra bring their thirteen-month-old Cocker Spaniel puppy Remy to Fitzpatricks for scheduled surgery. Although still very young, Remy has lived in pain all his life because of hip dysplasia, for which two separate full hip replacements have been recommended. “I know it’s traumatic [but] hip replacement is one of those things that brings me great joy because you have a dog that’s in extreme pain and a dog in no pain in three weeks,” says Noel. “It’s a fantastic op from that perspective, but there’s always risk.” But during the first operation, there’s a snag mid-surgery when it transpires that Remy lacks the amount of bone required for it to grow around the implants being inserted, so Noel has to find another solution on the spot.

Two-year-old cat Jazz is rushed in by mum Sarah suffering from a smashed femur and punctured lung after being hit by a car. Some of Sarah’s four children have special needs and Jazz is a very special companion, providing therapy as well as friendship. On its own, Jazz’s leg injury is not life-threatening, but there are other complications that could be. CT scans confirm damage to her lungs so severe that immediate intervention is required to stabilise them. But as air continues to leak from her chest cavity, and after careful consideration with colleagues, Noel has to make a decision about whether or not it’s in Jazz’s best interests to operate straight away or delay surgery on the femur.

Laura arrives with her soulmate, eight-year-old dachshund Olive, who has suddenly lost the use of her back legs. Olive has worked with Laura as a therapy dog with pupils at the school where she teaches, and they’ve been inseparable since she first started helping the children as a twelve-week-old puppy. MRI scans confirm that a disc in Olive’s spine has blown – a genetic issue in this breed – and the clock is ticking as she is taken to surgery. “When the disc explodes and hits the spinal cord it does damage, which is why it’s important you’re here quickly” Noel explains, “when you’re told a dog is going off its legs, it’s an emergency.” But even after the operation, it’s still by no means certain that Olive will ever walk again.