Spinal surgery for a Police dog

Hawke’s Bay police dog Xargus is taking break to recover from successful spinal surgery.

A five-and-a-half-year-old patrol and Armed Offenders dog started showing signs of pain after exercise. Xargus was taken to see Dr Andrew Worth, a specialist surgeon at Massey University's Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Palmerston North, for a CT scan of his spine and hips.

He was diagnosed with degenerative lumbar sacral stenosis, a condition affecting the lower spine that caused him pain when he jumped or ran.

A custom implant was installed over his lumbar sacral joint to decompress and stabilise it. We wish him all the best for his recovery, hopefully he gets his sick pay!

You can read more here