WHILE NBC prepares to premiere a remake of the classic “Bionic Woman” as part of its fall lineup on Sept. 26, Dr. Noel Fitzpatrick is ahead of the curve.
In July, at his animal hospital in Surrey, England, the renowned veterinary orthopedist-neurosurgeon performed a historic two-hour operation on a canine amputee: Storm, a Belgian shepherd, was outfitted with a unique prosthetic paw. The artificial foot connects to a titanium-alloy rod that’s implanted directly into the bone of the dog’s right foreleg, and is the first metal-skin interface to form a seal against infection – a real-life bionic limb. (To see photos of the bionic dog, visit stormtaylor.com).
“The holy grail of prosthetic surgery is to have skin grow into metal,” Fitzpatrick explains. “Storm is the first creature to have this type of implant put in successfully.
“The technology will act as a model for human amputees in the future and provides hope for people without feet or hands,” says Fitzpatrick, who will soon star in his own BBC reality-TV pilot, “The Bionic Vet.”
So what’s next – a bionic cat? Actually, yes: The owner of a Siamese named Muffin has requested that Fitzpatrick perform a similar miracle on his pet, too.
“A car tire had run over the left back leg,” says the vet. “We tried to save the leg, but it had lost blood and nerves. I had a long conversation with the owner, who felt that if it was possible to build a new foot for the cat, he’d like to try.”
The surgery will take place in about two weeks, after Muffin’s amputated leg has healed. “We don’t know what’s going to happen,” Fitzpatrick says. “A cat’s limb has a very different propulsion mechanism.”
But if Storm’s progress is any indication, the cat will enjoy full mobility.
As for the Bionic Vet, it’s clear that he enjoys his challenging work. “That’s something I think to myself every morning when I get up: Today I can make things better,” he concludes. “There are not many jobs that let you do that.”
js@pet-reporter.com