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Border collie returns to agility following catastrophic injury
Ella (not pictured) is back to competing in a sport that she loves.
Vets at Edinburgh's Royal (Dick) School reconstructed one of her legs.

A young Border collie has secured her first rosette in an agility contest after a devastating injury left her unable to compete.

Three-year-old Ella, a promising agility superstar, is back to doing what she loves best after vets at Edinburgh's Royal (Dick) School successfully reconstructed one of her hind legs. 

The incident occurred at the start of March when Ella was out for a morning walk with her owner, Hannah Wade.

Hannah said: “I suddenly heard a loud scream from Ella. I had no idea what had happened. She was unable to stand up and I could immediately see that she had severely damaged one of her back legs. I picked her up and ran back to the van and took her straight to the vets.”

An x-ray revealed extensive damage to Ella's leg, so her vet referred her to Edinburgh's Hospital for Small Animals for urgent treatment. It was here that orthopaedic specialist Dr Sofia Garcia-Pertierra Garcia confirmed that Ella’s right tibia and fibula had broken in several places and would require surgery.

The next day, Dr Garcia operated on Ella and inserted two large metal plates with screws to stabilise the bones. Clinicians and nurses then closely monitored Ella for three days, after which she was released to her owners' care to continue her recovery.

Ella was put on two months of strict cage rest and was only allowed short walks on the lead. The team gradually increased her level of exercise over the following months until her leg and muscles strengthened.

Ella started practising agility again in August and started competing in competitions in September. It was at the Woodside Dog Agility Club Christmas Show, held in West Lothian at the beginning of December, where Ella scooped her first rosette.

Hannah continued: “If you look at Ella now, you would never know that she had injured her leg so badly. She loves taking part in agility and it would have been heart-breaking if she was unable to do it anymore. I cannot thank the vets and nurses at the Dick Vet enough for everything that they have done.”

Dr Garcia added: “We are delighted that Ella has made a full recovery and is back to competing in a sport that she loves”.

 

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Webinar to explore history of KC breed registers

News Story 1
 A free webinar exploring the development of the Kennel Club's registration system and the evolution of closed breed registers has been announced.

Hosted by Dr Alison Skipper, veterinary and research advisor at the Kennel Club, the webinar will delve into the development of the registry and how the changing landscape of scientific knowledge has shaped breeding practices. It will also look at what this means for the future of pedigree dogs.

The session will culminate with a look at The Kennel Club's ongoing and future engagement in this area, with a chance for attendees to put forward their thoughts and questions for discussion.

This event takes place on Microsoft Teams on Tuesday, 10 June at 7pm. To learn more, visit events.teams.microsoft.com  

Click here for more...
News Shorts
UK's BSE risk status downgraded

The WOAH has downgraded the UK's international risk status for BSE to 'negligible'.

Defra says that the UK's improved risk status recognises the reputation for having the highest standards for biosecurity. It adds that it demonstrates decades of rigorous animal control.

Outbreaks of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, also known as mad cow disease, have previously resulted in bans on Britain's beef exports.

The UK's new status could lead to expanded trade and better confidence in British beef.

Christine Middlemiss, the UK's chief veterinary officer, said: "WOAH's recognition of the UK as negligible risk for BSE is a significant milestone and is a testament to the UK's strong biosecurity measures and the hard work and vigilance of farmers and livestock keepers across the country who have all played their part in managing the spread of this disease.