Supervet drama as Noel Fitzpatrick tackles 'complete disaster' surgery

In a heart-wrenching episode of Channel 4's The Supervet, viewers were introduced to seven-month-old Milo and his owners Paul and Sandra, who had flown in by private jet in a desperate bid for help from Noel Fitzpatrick. Milo had suffered a series of failed operations after an innocent jump off the bed led to a severe injury.

Paul detailed the ordeal, explaining that vets in Spain had first attempted to fix Milo's leg with a cast, but complications arose when a bolt started protruding from the joint. Despite multiple reoperations, the situation worsened each time, leading them to seek out another specialist who bluntly described the case as a "disaster".

Determined to find the best care for Milo, they discovered Noel's renowned practice and made the journey to see him. Upon examination, even the experienced Supervet was taken aback by the extent of Milo's injury. Paul lamented the situation, saying, "It's a complete disaster."

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Noel, empathetic yet realistic, said: "Any surgeon can fail, any surgery can fail. This gentleman has done his best, but it has all gone t**s up.", reports the Mirror. As Noel assessed Milo's leg, confirming the bone and screw were exposed, Paul admitted he couldn't bear to watch, feeling nauseated at the sight.

Once weighing their options, the owners began to feel overwhelmed, with Paul admitting he would've gone straight to Noel if he'd known about the star's expertise earlier. Ultimately, the team opted to fuse the severely damaged elbow with a bespoke plate construct, after removing the old implants as initially suggested by the ethics review.

But as the episode drew to a close, the vets discovered an issue with Milo's leg post-fusion surgery. Detailing the complication, they explained that Milo had developed a crack in his humerus, noting: "Unfortunately, there is no surgery that does not have potential complications. This is a recognised complication of elbow fusion."

Noel explained that as Milo's elbow was setting in a fused position, the stress transferred up the arm, causing a fissure before it could sufficiently remodel. In a subsequent operation, the supervet had to intervene once more on Milo to prevent the fissure from becoming a full fracture. By adding another plate for support, the Channel 4 celebrity acknowledged they managed to assist the dog just in time.

Nine months after Milo's initial injury from jumping off a bed, the episode concluded with an uplifting update showing him back at home in Spain, frolicking in the garden with his canine companion Buddy. Paul expressed his relief, saying: "It's unbelievable, the weight that's been lifted off of us. To now be back in Marbella on the beach with the dogs. It's a miracle to be honest."

He continued: "Noel's 100% the best vet in the world, if anybody doesn't believe that I have the waking proof of it. We have a dog with four legs running on a beach, what more could we ask for?"

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