Three-legged stray bounces back

A RESCUE dog is top of his agility class – despite having three legs.

Sad Diesel had a tough start to life, hobbling around the streets in Croatia. But he was saved by a UK charity and is living life to the full thanks to a special doggy muscle therapy.

Sophie Edey, 25, who adopted him when he was six months old, said: “At first he was scared and would wee with fear when people came close. He also had a deformity of his front left leg.

“I started taking him to agility classes. He was full of energy and would love jumping and running through tunnels and having fun on seesaws. It was amazing to watch.”

But four months later Diesel went lame. An X-ray showed all his toes were coming from one bone instead of separate ones. The vet was amazed he could walk, let alone run.

Engagement manager Sophie, who adopted Diesel with farmer Chris Rolfe, 21, was told he needed to have his leg amputated.

She said: “It was so horrendous and awful. Nothing OUR vet Brian Faulkner, from Petplan, has 16 years of experience and is a freelance working all over the country. Send your questions to Brian at: Petplan, Great West House, Great West Road, Brentford, Middlesex, TW8 9DX or via Petplan’s Facebook page facebook.com/ PetplanUK. can prepare you. After the operation he was completely shaved down one side and had 52 staples with a huge wound.”

But Sophie, from Barns Green, West Sussex, was determined the op would not hold him back. Eight weeks after the amputation, she took him to a Galen myotherapy centre.

An expert there, Julia Robertson, used a hands- on treatment she developed for dogs with musculoskeletal pain and osteoarthritis. I HAVE a Tibetan spaniel who shakes and scratches his ears. I got ear drops and cleaner from a vet but the effects have worn off. What next?

Leaping