Little Buddy was just four months old when he was referred to Southfields Veterinary Specialists with neck pain and a reluctance to walk.

A CT and MRI scan carried out at Southfields revealed Buddy had birth defects in the upper part of his spine.

However, as he was still growing, they could not be operated on until he was at least a year old.

Virginia Crespo, a diplomate of the European College in veterinary neurology at Southfields, said: “Buddy is a very unusual case, as dogs with severe malformations like this have only been reported a handful of times.

“We planned a complex surgery for him with many implants, however, this had to be delayed until he was mature, as his bones were not fully developed.”

Buddy’s head and neck were wrapped in supportive bandages until he was old enough to undergo surgery using implants and bespoke 3D-printed guides.

Virginia said: “We performed two surgeries, each lasting around eight hours. The first saw us operate to reduce the severity of the dislocated vertebra and stabilise the bones.

“The second surgery used a 3D-printed titanium plate made specifically for Buddy, to fix his skull to his vertebrae and provide even more stability.”

Buddy’s treatment included care from multiple teams at the state-of-the-art Southfields hospital, including neurology, anaesthesia, diagnostic imaging and nursing.

Owner Debra Carruthers, who lives in Romford, Essex, said it has been a long road to recovery for Buddy but certainly worth it.

She said: “For nine months, Buddy had to be kept in a crate to keep him calm and stop him from jumping about, which was not easy at times. We were also visiting Southfields on a weekly basis to get his bandages checked and changed.

“The team were amazing and went above and beyond. They really made us feel better about the situation.

“It’s been a long, tough journey but well worth it in the end. If it wasn’t for Virginia, Hamish and the Southfields team, Buddy would not be alive now.

“Buddy has now got his freedom and is leading a normal life with his sister, something I never thought would happen.”