Pet dog saved by Horsham vet after shattering paw chasing rabbit

One-year-old cocker spaniel Jarvis fractured his metatarsal bones, which connect his ankle to his toes, when he leaped 2.5 metres from a balcony after spotting a rabbit nibbling grass down below.

Due to the serious nature of his injuries, he was referred to Anderson Abercromby Veterinary Referrals, a veterinary practice in Warnham which specialises in orthopaedic surgery.

Veterinary surgeon Federico Piccinno took X-rays which confirmed that four of the five metatarsal bones in Jarvis’s right hind paw were broken.

Federico, who is an RCVS advanced practitioner in small animal surgery, then operated on Jarvis to repair the fractures and said the procedure was more complex because of where the bones were broken.

“The injury was quite severe because of the number of bones involved and because they were fractured very close to the joint which connects his paw to his leg,” he said.

In an hour-long op, Frederico inserted metal pins through the knuckle joint between Jarvis’s toe and the long bones of his foot. Another pin was inserted through the ankle joint and connected to the pins to stabilise them.

Jarvis was able to return home a few days after surgery but was confined to a small room with limited exercise while his bones healed. Eight weeks later, he returned to see Federico for a check-up. He said: “Jarvis has recovered so well and is able to use his paw normally.”

Jarvis is now enjoying walks again with owner Zoe Ross but is being exercised where he can’t be tempted by rabbits.

Zoe said Jarvis’s accident happened after they’d enjoyed Sunday lunch at her mother-in- law’s holiday lodge near their home on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent. As they relaxed after the meal, they were horrified to see Jarvis suddenly disappear from view over the balcony.

“The lodge has a veranda that looks over a field and there are often rabbits hopping around. We’d been there many times before but for some reason, perhaps because oneof the rabbits came a bit closer, Jarvis decided to go over the top,” said Zoe.

“He disappeared from sight and then we heard him yelping in pain – it was such a horrible sound.”

Zoe rushed Jarvis to an emergency vet 15 miles away, and he saw his usual vet the next day, but due to the extent of his injury he was referred to Anderson Abercromby in Warnham, two hours from home.

She said: “It was a long way to travel, but worth it for such great treatment and I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again. The care Jarvis received at Anderson Abercromby was amazing and Federico took the time to talk us through all the options for Jarvis’s surgery and explained everything so clearly.

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“The whole team at Anderson Abercromby is outstanding and everyone was interested in how Jarvis was doing, and the care and the attention they give pets is second to none.

“I was worried that the injury was so severe it could lead to long-term problems for Jarvis, but he’s weight bearing on the foot and is back to his usual lively self.”