12-inch dog in full body plaster cast after attack

A dog has defied the odds to walk again after he was left in a full body cast for a month following an attack which left him with a broken neck. Seven-year-old miniature pinscher Fudge - who stands just 12 inches tall - spent four weeks in the plaster after a huge dog of the notorious Japanese Akita breed lunged at him and grabbed his throat.

The dog had suffered a broken neck and had a smashed bone in his back after the horrific attack while he was being walked by his owner in January.



Fudge was rushed to the PDSA PetAid hospital, the Jeanne Marchig centre, in Bradford, West Yorks. Vets at the animal charity were not convinced he would survive and it seemed impossible he would walk again. But two months on he is back on all four paws.

John Taylor, the PDSA senior veterinary surgeon, said: "The x-rays showed he had a broken neck, his second vertebra. The prognosis for such injuries isn't good. His extensive injuries meant Fudge was unable to stand or use his front legs. The odds of him walking again were certainly stacked against him, but we weren't going to give up easily."


Fudge as he is now.

The veterinary team stitched up Fudge's wounds and placed the tiny dog in a full body cast to hold his broken bones in place. In order to be effective, the cast had to immobilise his head and neck while allowing enough movement for him to breathe.

Fudge then spent nearly four weeks at PDSA, having two further casts fitted as he healed. Mr Taylor added: "Fudge wasn't able to walk or stand up in his cast so he needed extensive nursing care. He received physiotherapy and massages every day to get his legs working again."