Story of a Survivor: Puppy Kyra Puts Her Best Foot Forward

When little five month old Kyra came into Roundwood Vets, she was in excruciating pain. A leg deformity meant that her lower front leg was literally split in two. And, the more she put weight on it, the more misshapen - and painful - it became. Clearly, Kyra could not go on living like this. Something had to be done - and it was going to be pretty drastic.

Read on to discover how vets at Roundwood jumped into action to give this puppy, born on the streets of Romania, a new lease of life.

After some gentle and careful examination, the team at Roundwood came to the conclusion that amputation was the best option. Every time poor Kyra put weight on her leg - the two sides essentially did the splits! This was an extremely rare case, and the vets knew that if they refrained from performing the surgery, Kyra’s deformity would persist with a vengeance.

The big day came. It was time for Kyra’s surgery.

Dr Gemma valiantly performed the two hour surgery - this certainly wasn’t one for the faint hearted! But, it went very smoothly and was the vital step that marked the beginning of Kyra’s pain-free life.

On top of this, Practice Manager Nikki played a huge role in helping little Kyra recover. Nikki monitored Kyra’s anaesthetic and recovery throughout. When Kyra’s blood pressure dropped during surgery, Nikki was on hand with fluids, and was able to ensure she had a pain-free procedure.

It was Kyra, however, who proved herself to be a true fighter. She recovered from her anaesthetic wonderfully. After having her pain levels assessed and a pain relief plan put in place, she was able to return home on the very same day! This is a remarkable feat (or should we say, leg?!). What huge tenacity this tiny puppy has.

Veterinary Care Assistant, Mikayla, was there to support Kyla after the operation. With copious amounts of TLC and exercises to help her stand and sit with just three legs, Kyra was on her way to full recovery.

After three days of practice, of love, care and attentive monitoring, our little fighter was walking around well! Now, her wound has healed beautifully and she no longer needs pain relief. She continues to strut her stuff as she adapts to her new three-legged body.

This is not only the story of an incredibly successful surgery, but a story of resilience. Her leg may have been split in two, her pain levels almost intolerable, but Kyra continued to fight. After mammoth surgery, the way she adapted to her new body was - and continues to be - astonishing.

Stories such as this remind us that no matter how tough it gets, animals have a lust for life. After a tiring day at work, you can count on your dog to bound to the door when you arrive home, and greet you with an excitable, slobbery kiss. With the help of Roundwood Vets, Kyra has been freed from the clutches of pain and is now able to fulfil her own lust for life. Sure, she has three legs, but that’s not going to stop her putting her best foot forward.

Although times are tough - undeniably so - animals like Kyra show us the value of never giving up. She was strong enough to live through the pain, recover from a major operation, and began to walk comfortably on three legs in the next three days! Similarly, the vets at Roundwood did not give up on Kyra. They saw hope. They examined, operated, cared for and nursed her through her procedure so she could step swiftly onto the road to recovery.

Finally, Kyra would never have been able to have the surgery if it weren’t for the amazing fundraising and her carer. The generosity of others in particularly difficult times will not be forgotten.

Kyra may have been born in Romania with a painful deformity, but she was given a new lease of life in London by Roundwood Vets.

To stay updated with Kyra’s recovery, please do give us a follow on Instagram - we are preparing lots of images to mark her journey!