From limping to leaping: Manchester animal hospital transforms Barney’s life

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Cocker Spaniel Barney receives two new hips at Manchester Veterinary Specialists

A much‑loved Cocker Spaniel from Ashton‑in‑Makerfield is walking, running and living life to the full again after receiving not one, but TWO new hips at CVS Manchester Veterinary Specialists (MVS) - thanks to the hospital’s expert surgical team and months of dedicated care.

Barney, now seven years old, had been struggling for weeks with worsening hindlimb lameness. His owner Geoff Harris noticed his once‑happy stride becoming shorter and stiffer and that he was reluctant to exercise. Despite physiotherapy, his condition deteriorated further, prompting their local vets, Springfield Vets, to refer him urgently to MVS.

Geoff said:

When Barney was younger dog we noticed he was struggling to get off his bed and kept sitting down when on his walks. We took him to our local vets, who carried out x rays and diagnosed him with hip dysplasia in both hips. They said it was the worst case they had seen.

Barney was seen at MVS just days later by Ben Keeley, European and RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Surgery (Orthopaedics), who immediately recognised the severity of the problem.

Ben said:

Barney presented with significant bilateral hindlimb lameness. His gait was shortened, he had very poor muscle mass on the left side, and he was reluctant to extend either hip. We suspected severe hip dysplasia and carried out a full radiographic work‑up.

The imaging results confirmed the worrying diagnosis: a complete dorsal luxation (dislocation) of the left hip, subluxation of the right hip, early bony remodelling of both femoral necks and significant muscle wastage. Without intervention, Barney faced a lifetime of severe pain, progressive mobility loss and poor quality of life.

Ben and the MVS team discussed all available options with Barney’s owners - from conservative management to surgical solutions. Ultimately, the best and most effective long‑term option was a Total Hip Replacement (THR), a highly specialised surgical procedure used to treat severe hip dysplasia and advanced joint disease.

Barney was booked in for staged hip replacements, beginning with the left hip. He was admitted the night before surgery. On the morning of the procedure, Specialist anaesthetists, registered veterinary nurses and surgical technicians prepared him meticulously - from pre‑warming and administering premedication to setting up advanced monitoring equipment. An epidural was administered under anaesthesia to maximise comfort.

Inside theatre, a full Specialist team was required, including two clinicians, two surgical scrub nurses, one nurse monitoring anaesthesia and one surgical technician. Using a comprehensive THR surgical kit and state‑of‑the‑art equipment, Ben successfully performed the left total hip replacement.

barney hip x-ray

An x-ray of Barney's left hip after hip replacement surgery

Following surgery, Barney received one‑to‑one nursing care, post‑operative radiographs, pain management and overnight monitoring to ensure his comfort and stability. His recovery was carefully managed with strict exercise restriction and controlled rehabilitation over 12 weeks.

Six months later, Barney was doing so well that the team progressed to his second hip replacement - this time on the right side. He underwent the procedure following the same high‑level surgical and post‑operative care.

Though Barney briefly developed lameness in the right hindlimb because of Panosteitis - an inflammatory bone condition unrelated to his hip implants. But happily it resolved successfully with anti‑inflammatory medication and today Barney is thriving - pain‑free, active and enjoying life again.

His owner Geoff said the transformation is remarkable:

MVS was recommended and after a consultation with Ben, Barney was quickly booked in for the first of two operations. We of course were worried about his aftercare at home, having seen such procedures on TV. So we couldn't believe our eyes when we returned the following day to pick him up. He just walked up to us as if nothing had happened apart from his shaven leg! He had his second operation a few months later. Barney is now running and jumping about as if he never had any problems at all with his hips. I tell people he has the best hips in the region, all thanks to the fantastic team at MVS. We are forever grateful.

Ben added:

Without hip replacement, Barney would have continued to experience significant pain and deterioration. Thanks to his owners’ commitment and the combined efforts of our surgical, anaesthesia and nursing teams, he now enjoys excellent mobility and quality of life.

Opening in 2017 and based on the outskirts of the city, Manchester Veterinary Specialists is a dedicated companion animal orthopaedic referral centre. With a team of over twenty, including two Specialist orthopaedic veterinary surgeons, the hospital offers total hip replacements, patellar luxation corrective surgery, fracture repair, arthroscopy, tibial plateau levelling osteotomy, angular limb deformity corrective surgery and arthrodesis services. As a bespoke site, the hospital is equipped with the best facilities and equipment to allow the clinicians to manage cases to the best of their ability. This includes a modern theatre suite with two operating theatres equipped with climate control, state-of-the-art monitoring and anaesthesia facilities, a recovery ward with one-to-one patient monitoring, a digital radiology suite, a Siemens 16 slice CT scanner, a fluoroscopic extremities C-arm - facilitating minimally invasive surgery, and high definition arthroscopy equipment. All of which provide their referring vets with peace of mind that their patients are in expert hands.