The Supervet: Noel Fitzpatrick - Episode Guide

Can Noel can help Labrador Scooby, who has a life-threatening tumour in his leg? Tiger the cat's heart stops beating after an operation. And lurcher Otis has shotgun wounds in his leg.

Noel Fitzpatrick sees a rabbit with a broken leg. Cocker spaniel Dixie needs spinal surgery. And Noel finds inspiration from X-Men for a daring solution to a dog's damaged paw.

Jasper, a Staffie puppy, needs an operation on his legs. A Labrador called Mojo has a spinal problem. And a cat called Lolli needs a pioneering procedure for a smashed pelvis.

Diane brings in her 12-year-old cat Pixie, who's been hit by a car. Noel believes he can help Pixie walk again by giving her a revolutionary bionic implant.

The vets treat Schrodinger, a cat with a shattered thigh bone, Lois, an English bulldog with an extravagant diet, and an elderly and much loved springer spaniel called Flossie

A dachshund called Frankie is brought in by owners Kelly and Daniel. A ten-month-old Labrador needs a hip replacement. And Emily, a shih-tzu from Bognor Regis, needs an operation to fix her spine.

Noel meets Lara the cat, who jumped into a removal van, got hit by a car and then attacked by a fox. And a Northern Inuit dog needs a hip replacement, but his owner can't afford to pay.

Ira, a two year-old Labrador is fitted with a bionic spine. And eight-year-old French Bulldog Tom has been brought in by his anxious owner Rob with a long list of chronic ailments.

Noel treats Fieval the Labrador, who needs a total hip replacement. And the show catches up with Scooby the Labrador, Jasper the puppy and Pixie the cat.

German shepherd Otto has a life-threatening tumour. Pomeranian puppy Gucci has broken her paw. And Rottweiler Elvis is having trouble walking.

A dog called Stampy has been hit by a car and is in a critical condition. And a stricken golden retriever's owner drives for seven hours to seek Noel's help and advice.

A poodle called Diamond needs a hip replacement. A Balinese kitten may have to lose a leg and a German Shepherd puppy is lame in both front legs.

In the surgery this time is a Bengal cat hit by a car and a dog having seizures. And a rescue deerhound with a broken neck faces high-risk surgery.

A young rabbit has a broken leg after a fight with his mate. A dog that's been run over by a delivery van needs a prosthetic paw. And a bulldog has a mysterious paralysis.

Rescued bulldog Dolly has problems with her legs. Police dog Anya's spine is badly damaged. And a retired greyhound called Lola has a mystery problem.

The pets with problems this time include a rare breed of bulldog, called Cyrus, with multiple issues, a lame husky and a Maltese cross Bichon Frise suffering from seizures

Noel and his team help a blue Russian cat with a shattered jaw, a Labrador cross with a lame back leg, and a six-month-old Chihuahua with a wonky leg.

Nurse Steph's cat is brought in after being poisoned. A Polish sheepdog needs an elbow replacement. And a self-confessed 'crazy cat lady' from Belfast visits with a ginger tom.

A Staffordshire bull terrier has a complete paralysis in his back legs. And a Devon rex cat is struck by a car, leaving its eight-year-old owner with a tough decision.

Noel pushes the boundaries of life-saving medicine with surgery on an alsatian puppy. There's also a young Chihuahua with a neck deformity in need of delicate surgery.

It's Christmas, and Noel is busier than ever, with a sleigh-pulling Alaskan malamute's bad knees, a cocker spaniel with a shattered jaw and a cute dachshund puppy.

Noel treats a cockapoo puppy called Henry, who has a fractured neck. There is also a Romanian stray known as Geoffrey, whose front legs are so badly deformed that he can barely walk.

A Great Dane is rushed to the clinic after losing the use of her back legs. A spaniel needs work after being hit by a car. And an owner travels from Yorkshire with her collie.

A Newfoundland called Billy needs treatment on his legs. A tiny Yorkshire terrier has a deformity in his neck. And Noel finds himself managing the needs of a pampered chihuahua.

Ruth and Chris have spent their lives rescuing stray animals. Can Noel save their three-legged cat Jersey? There's also a dog with a dodgy elbow and a two metre tall Great Dane.

When a cockapoo called Orla gets hit by a lawnmower, Professor Noel fears the worst. And Scooby the labrador has painful elbows, while a German shepherd-collie cross has a bad spine.

Noel helps Hetty the Labrador - a guide and seizure dog that's lame. There's also a Rhodesian Ridgeback with a tumour and a sickly Tibetan terrier.

A young family rush to the clinic with their Chihuahua that's been hit by a car and has a crushed pelvis. And Banjo, a much-loved spaniel is brought in with problem hips.

A Saint Bernard suffering with hip dysplasia and a collie that's been hit by a car are brought into the clinic for treatment. And a cat called Bradley needs a bionic paw.

A chinchilla requires surgery for a broken leg, but his tiny airways and bones make it a difficult procedure. And Professor Noel fights to save the limb of a puppy that's been hit by a van.

Tina and her boisterous sons bring in a springer spaniel puppy with a badly deformed hind leg requiring complicated surgery. And a cocker spaniel has cancer.

A Staffordshire Bull Terrier who senses its owner's nocturnal epileptic fits needs treatment for its painful legs. And an Irish Setter has a cancerous tumour.

An excitable cocker spaniel needs some bionic paws. A puppy with a fractured knee must sit still if it's going to get better. And a cat dragging its legs is brought in for tests.

A golden retriever needs ground-breaking cell therapy to fix its cartilage. A cat is brought in with a suspected rat bite that keeps getting bigger. And a whippet is hit by a car.

Noel uses 3D printing to create a skull implant to treat a spaniel with brain cancer and a hinged elbow for a terrier.

Noel combines cutting edge biology and technology in two ground-breaking operations to help a puppy called Flo and a border collie called Izzy.

Noel is faced with two difficult cases that push his skills to the limit. Peanut the Cat was born with deformed front legs, and dog Ard Ri has bone cancer in his leg.

Professor Noel uses cutting edge technology to help Rottweiler Lulu after she loses the use of all four legs, and Doberman Maori who is struggling to walk and in considerable pain.

The odds are stacked against Noel when golden retriever puppy Murphy is brought in with horrific facial injuries. And a man drives all the way from Switzerland looking for treatment for a chihuahua.

Noel devises an unorthodox cure for a stray cat with a badly fractured leg. And a cross-breed called Piggy has a spinal problem that leaves its family facing a difficult decision.

A wild buzzard with a broken wing gives Professor Noel a new challenge. A Labrador has badly damaged elbow joints, and a pampered cat needs surgery for his slipping knee caps.

A Bengal cat needs reconstructive surgery after being hit by a car. Rescue whippet Wobble needs a high risk operation. And care dog Alfie has elbow dysplasia.

As the Supervet team prepare for Christmas, Professor Noel Fitzpatrick treats a rescue greyhound and a puppy terrier with bad legs. And Noel makes a surprise visit home to Ireland.

Professor Noel pulls out all the stops to give a rescue puppy two bionic feet and a new lease of life. Young husky collie Nell has been hit by a car.

A puppy called Maya is rushed to the surgery after being hit by a car. A Great Dane has a tumour requiring a high risk operation. And a Chihuahua hurts her paw chasing a cat.

Noel fights to save the leg of a golden retriever and takes on some challenging surgery for a French bulldog with twisted elbows.

A Labrador is rushed to surgery after being hit by a car. A cocker spaniel has a bulging disc in her spine. And Elmer, a basset hound, needs to have some leg straightening.

In this episode, labradoodle Mitzi is rushed in after being hit by a car. Noel also helps 10-month-old German Pointer Hector, a much-loved family pet who has been struggling to walk.

A dog called Marley is admitted to Fitzpatricks with severe dysplasia of the elbow. A Rhodesian Ridgeback has a high-risk operation. And Noel treats an old gym buddy's injured dog.

The Supervet takes on an incredibly challenging case with an injured boxer dog needing stem-cell scaffolding. And a convoy of hedgehogs with broken legs are brought to the surgery.

A tiny papillon needs a double knee replacement. A mountain dog has an exploded disc in his spine. And a German Shepherd is fitted with a bionic paw.

Expats Dave and Sue drive 500 miles from France hoping to get a diagnosis for their border collie's leg pain. And an eight-year-old pug needs surgery on his elbow.

A three year-old Newfoundland dog needs surgery for his bent front legs. And a long-haired Chihuahua requires a total hip replacement.

An owner travels through the night to get his much-loved doberman seen by Professor Noel Fitzpatrick. And a rabbit with a broken ankle needs surgery.

Professor Noel helps a bichon frise with chronic elbow pain, a Labrador unable to stand, and a leonberger with a bone tumour.

Brought in to see Professor Noel Fitzpatrick is a shih-tzu cross with deformed legs, a golden retriever that needs a tumour removed, and a bulldog puppy with a fractured elbow.

A dog owner travels all the way from Romania, hoping Professor Noel can cure her dog's squashed spinal chord. And a golden Labrador is offered a new shoulder.

Dr Noel treats a lurcher with a collapsed joint; a puppy that struggles to walk; and a cat that's been hit by a car on its first venture outside the house.

A new run of shows starts with an emergency after a Staffordshire bull terrier is hit by a car, with her pelvis smashed in more than 25 pieces. And a giant schnauzer's lost her tail wag.

Basset hound Barney needs high-risk surgery on his troubled neck vertebrae. A giant mastiff undergoes radical surgery on both elbows. And a family puppy has fractured his foot.

A border collie is referred with a lump on his ankle. A short-haired cat may need a new hip. And a seriously unwell Golden Labrador is rushed to Fitzpatrick's sister clinic.

A two-year old mastiff is diagnosed with a bone tumour in her leg. A tiny pug has lost control of her hind legs. And a Rhodesian Ridgeback comes to surgery suffering from lameness.

Lucky the shih-tzu has been referred to Fitzpatrick's with severe arthritis and can barely walk. And Bongo the Labrador has been affected by osteoarthritis in all four legs.

The clinic face a challenging case with a Chihuahua with hydrocephalus. A Labrador is brought in with severe elbow arthritis, while another needs high-end surgery on an elbow.

A Great Dane called Baloo needs spinal surgery. A golden Labrador requires a knee replacement. And a black Labrador faces leg amputation for a tumour. But has the cancer already spread?

A Bengal cat has a broken back and dislocated spine after being hit by a car. A German Shepherd needs a new elbow. And a rottweiler puppy gets a stem cell fix for an ankle problem.

In this festive special, Professor Noel helps a Humboldt penguin with an unhappy foot. There's also a three-legged cat and a husky from Thailand needing hip surgery.

The new series starts with a tiny Jackahuahua puppy needing emergency spinal surgery and an excitable Labrador facing elbow replacement surgery and a difficult road to recovery.

A beloved overweight bulldog called Buster needs new knees. And a pug called Doug requires risky spinal surgery to remove a cyst, with no guarantee he will recover.

A tortoiseshell cat needs a bionic implant. A Tibetan terrier called Beau faces complicated surgery to treat hip dysplasia.

A Labrador puppy needs fitted plates and stem cell injections for elbow disease. And a Russian Black Terrier has a cancerous growth and is at risk of losing a leg.

Take That's Mark Owen brings some celebrity dazzle to the surgery as he arrives with his 18-month-old Doberman. There's also a lame border collie and a Coton-Tzu with a bad hip.

Sports pundit Lee Dixon brings his beloved rescue dog to see Professor Noel. An owner comes all the way from Guernsey with her injured dog. And a puppy needs new hips.

The Supervet returns for a new run, this time helping a giant Newfoundland puppy called Lola and a golden Labrador in need of a bionic solution for a deformed front paw.

A fluffy Persian cat that's been hit by a car, requiring complex treatment. A rescue dog has a tumour, and a young staffie-cross has a sore elbow.

A puppy called Albie has a broken back from being knocked over by a car and needs a complex operation. And a Scottish terrier has a mysterious ailment never seen before.

Professor Noel faces one of his greatest ever practical and ethical challenges as he seeks to provide Hermes, the one-legged tortoise, with three new prosthetic feet.

A small Cavachon has not only a broken leg but also a serious heart condition. A Labrador needs help with badly formed hips. And a nervous basset hound has a spinal problem.

Professor Noel offers cutting-edge treatment for Luca, a four-year-old springer spaniel with a painful elbow. There's also a leaky Labrador puppy in need of surgery.

A four-year-old French bulldog suffers a spinal injury being chased by another dog in the park. A rescue Labrador has a wounded paw. And a cocker spaniel has a painful hind leg.

It's Christmas at Fitzpatrick Referrals and Professor Noel musters all his skills to treat three very special patients, a rescue puppy, a Dalmation, and a Labrador from Switzerland.

The nation's favourite vet gears up for an extraordinary range of new challenges. A Rhodesian Ridgeback has cancer and a puppy from Cornwall is in a lot of pain. Can the Supervet help?

Professor Noel treats a Carpathian shepherd dog with a severely dislocated hip, a Labradoodle with a bad ankle fracture, and a hedgehog with broken hind legs

Noel plays detective with an Australian Shepherd that's not quite herself. A Jack Russell puppy suffers a crushed pelvis. And a pug called Britney faces a risky procedure.

A six-year-old terrier has its paw ripped off and a gentle giant of a Newfoundland presents with chronic lameness.

The nation's favourite vet faces feline and canine puzzles treating a fox red Labrador puppy with lameness, and a domestic cat with a knee problem.

Noel sees faces old and new, including a lame spaniel to whom it might be time to say goodbye, and a French sheepdog Supervet helped as a puppy.

Pet patients include a pug and beagle cross who's been dragged under a bus, a Labrador that was trod on as a puppy, and a basset hound with the condition Bony Wobblers.

Noel operates on a golden retriever poodle cross with abnormally developed front legs, a lame labrador and a dachshund who has suddenly lost the use of her back legs.

A cocker spaniel puppy needs hip replacements. A cat is rushed in with a smashed femur and punctured lung after being hit by a car. And a dachshund has an exploded disc.

A hyperactive ridgeback has ankle problems. A much-adored family dog has issues with hips, elbows and knees. And a Havana kitten suffers a broken leg after a mystery accident.

A bull terrier puppy needs a 3D-printed implant for a new lease of life. A Siamese cat has multiple injuries after being hit by a van. And a beloved collie cross, needs a new hip.

It's almost Christmas but Fitzpatrick Referrals are as busy as ever with a rescue dog with bad discs and a German shepherd who gives his family and Noel an emotional ethical dilemma.

Merida the collie has a complex problem with her elbows. A boss cat called Elmo has a bad fracture to his left back leg after being hit by a car.

A French bulldog faces a high-risk operation for an exploded disc and a cat called Nutty has a shattered radius after being shot with an airgun.

Gentle giant Bear, an English mastiff, visits Noel after suffering a painful ruptured cruciate ligament in his knee. Siamese cat Bluebell is rushed in after being hit by a car.

Lola the beagle visits Noel after collapsing on her back legs, Brandi the Labrador is refusing to walk, and bulldog puppy Molly is rushed in after being run over by a car.

Two-year-old Ruby the dachshund is rushed in after being run over by a car. Nine-year-old schnauzer Jess is booked in for spinal surgery. And pint-size shih tzu Ted has been injured at home.

A look at some of the cutest puppy patients that Professor Noel Fitzpatrick has performed life-saving treatment on, including a West Highland terrier, bulldog, Rottweiler and dachshund.

A look at some of the extraordinary implants and surgeries Professor Noel Fitzpatrick has performed in order to save his patients' lives, from a rescue cat to a retriever puppy and an Alaskan malamute. 

A look at some of the strong family bonds between the patients brought into Fitzpatrick's and their owners, from a chihuahua to a three-legged cat and a rescue deerhound.

A look at some of the life-changing surgeries Professor Noel Fitzpatrick has performed to save his patients, from a Staffie puppy to a 40kg Rottweiler cross and a German shepherd.

A festive edition from Fitzpatrick Referrals, featuring some famous faces hoping that Noel Fitzpatrick can perform wonders for their much-loved animal family members. Pop star Will Young brings in his pitbull Labrador cross Diamond, which has been suffering with a painful limp, and Noel suspects cruciate ligament damage, while supermodel Yasmin Le Bon and her daughters rush in when their three-year-old French bulldog Willow collapses at home.

Special edition featuring one of the most emotional and heart-rending stories ever filmed - that of Noel Fitzpatrick's own dog, Keira. In September 2020, Noel's life was turned upside down when the 13-year-old border terrier was hit by a van right outside the practice. Having sustained a ruptured abdominal lining and urinary bladder, a crushed sacrum and pelvis and a dislocated hip, Noel's colleagues worked tirelessly to repair extensive internal damage. Suddenly, the surgeon renowned for finding solutions for even the most challenging injuries, had to steel himself for the most important surgery of his life.

Noel treats nine-month-old cockapoo Betsy, whose owners Sophie and Dan are concerned about a dragging front paw caused by nerve damage, to see if there are surgical options. But when Betsy develops gangrene, she has to have her paw amputated, and in order to salvage the rest of her limb, Noel must replace her amputated foot with a skeletally-anchored implant called a PerFiTS (Percutaneous Fixation to the Skeleton).

Feisty feline Driver has already survived trauma during his seven years of life, when he lost an eye as the result of an accident. His indomitable spirit is about to be severely tested again, as he's rushed into Fitzpatrick's as an emergency, suffering from a hip injury and serious trauma having been hit by a car. Seven-year-old Dobermann Dexter has serious spinal problems, collapsing on his back legs and tumbling on his front legs. His owners meet Noel to discuss options for his treatment.

A 10-year-old Dobermann is treated for an aggressive bone tumour in its leg. One option is a full limb amputation, but another could potentially save Rolo's leg by cutting out the affected part of the bone and replacing it with a unique implant of Noel's own invention - a scapula-humeral endoprosthesis. Five-year-old labrador Jeff is suffering from developmental elbow disease, which cannot be managed by medication alone. The day of his planned surgery for a full elbow replacement arrives, though bad news places the prospect of such treatment in jeopardy and ferret Astrid, who's broken her leg falling off a sofa doing a 'war dance'.

Noel treats chocolate Labrador Inca, who has a history of developmental elbow disease and osteoarthritis that has led to her elbow joints becoming worn out. Two-year-old Cavapoo Nala, who has hip dysplasia, and Great Dane Charles, who is unsteady on his feet due to a squashed spinal cord, are also on the patients list. Charles' owner Steve knows only too well that spinal surgery is a hugely serious undertaking, as he himself had multiple surgeries following a bike accident a decade earlier

Noel encounters a goldendoodle named Angus who sustained nerve damage to one of his front legs and a smashed wrist on the other side in a 20-metre fall. After the initial trauma, Angus was in significant pain and faced possible euthanasia. Distraught owner Zoe brings him to Fitzpatrick's in the hope that Noel can give her other alternatives. Also receiving attention is irrepressible springer spaniel Rocky, whose failed elbow operation has left him struggling to walk. His owners seek whatever options there may be for relieving the nine-year-old's pain and returning him to a full life.

Cameras catch up with the work of the pioneering veterinary practice, where some of the hardest-to-cure pets receive cutting-edge treatment. When one-year-old shepherd doodle Raven started limping at only a few months old, his local vet diagnosed double hip dysplasia. Now, owners Alan and Jane find themselves at Fitzpatricks to discuss possible total hip replacement for both back legs. Also receiving help are three-month-old kitten Fury, who has a suspected tibia injury sustained during boisterous play and two-year-old police dog Trigger who has degenerative lumbosacral stenosis, causing pain in his lower back.

Beloved fluff monster Kylo, a 10-month-old rough collie, and golden retriever pup Sasha make return visits to the practice. Kylo's serious leg deformities are causing significant pain, while Sasha's deformed front left foot has left her without properly developed toes - and her struggles are increasing the more she grows. Professor Noel Fitzpatrick and his team need to find innovative solutions to resolve the problems both hounds present.

Scans reveal multiple sites of deformity affecting Milo the Dalmatian's vertebrae, which are squashing both his spinal cord and the nerves coming out on either side. Noel offers the option of distraction fusion surgery to relieve both the pressure and the pain, while Laura and Max bring in their 10-month-old Chuskie pup Moon, who despite his youth has his life blighted by severe developmental elbow disease.

One-year-old golden retriever Bertie developed a dislocated hip joint and curvature of his spine and is in a lot of pain. Noel has to find an implant to treat Bertie's arthritis and prevent his hip from dislocating and work out a way to manage the effect of his spinal deformity over time. Trusty Tibetan terrier, nine-year-old Sunny recently received a total knee replacement using an implant system called a rotating hinge. However, before a second procedure is staged a flare up of the auto-immune inflammatory arthritis in Sunny's carpi casts a dark cloud over his future once again.

Noel Fitzpatrick steps out of his comfort zone by heading to South Africa to spend time with the magnificent animals of the savannah and the selfless people who dedicate their lives to looking after them - often in very difficult circumstances. Noel meets the animals threatened by poaching, injured due to neglect in captivity, and exploited in one way or another. The pioneering vet also helps endangered rhinos and improve the lives of two big cats by performing procedures rarely - if ever - provided for wild animals before

The work of a pioneering veterinary practice, where `Bionic Vet" Noel Fitzpatrick and a team of more than 100 surgeons, nurses, ward attendants and physiotherapists help some of the nation's hardest-to-cure pets through cutting-edge treatment and operations. This series opens with a special episode featuring the amazing stories - old and new - of some of the youngest and cutest puppies for whom Noel has provided life-saving treatment since The Supervet began in 2014, and the families at the centre of their inspiring stories.

A five-year-old Bedlington terrier, who has suffered a broken front leg three times in the last four years, is referred to Noel with another fracture in her leg. Elsewhere, beloved fox red Labrador Jethro has arthritic elbows, which have left him unable to walk properly and are causing him great pain. Noel uses a tiny camera to take a closer look at the joint damage and determine the best course of action.

A Maine Coon cat is brought into the practice with a fractured hip joint, which Noel determines is caused by a genetic disease that has made the heads of both of her femur bones degenerate. After a very challenging process of weighing up the pros and cons of surgery, the owners opt for bilateral total hip replacement.

Eight-month-old Labrador puppy Ollie is rushed in as as a late-night emergency after being hit by a car, while four-year-old bull mastiff Bayleigh is referred to Noel with a suspicious and painful lump near her ankle. Cassie and Ashley thought their only option was to have their cat's leg amputated, but a chance encounter with Noel has given them hope that it could possibly be saved.

A rescue special, featuring the amazing stories - old and new - of some of the animals for whom Noel has provided extraordinary and life-saving treatment since The Supervet began in 2014, and the families at the centre of their inspiring stories. Animals featured include rescue whippet Wobble, who at only a year old in 2015 was wobbling due to a compression fracture in her neck and German shepherd rescue Bran, who first came to Fitzpatricks in 2019 and received an innovative custom total hip replacement - the first of its kind for a three-legged dog.

A 'puppy special' recalling the amazing stories of some of the youngest, fluffiest animals for whom Noel has provided life-saving treatment since The Supervet began. They include three-month-old springer spaniel Poppy, who was treated in 2016 when she presented with some of the worst front leg deformities Noel had ever seen. In 2018, nine-month-old Jack Russell Bella was admitted as an emergency after being injured in a freak accident, falling from a carrier on a bike and badly fracturing her pelvis.

Two-year-old Boston terrier Rogan needs Noel's help with his debilitating hip dysplasia. Noel explains to Rogan's mums Megan and Shana that, due to Rogan's age and breed, an off-the-shelf cemented total hip replacement has an increased chance of loosening over time. Noel's offered alternative is a next-generation uncemented implant system, custom-made for Rogan. Handsome nine-year-old Hungarian vizsla Brodie is affected by developmental elbow disease. Noel finds that the joint has completely collapsed and is infected as the result of a previous botched operation by another vet. Poor Brodie is now in constant pain, but Noel is able to restore hope for Brodie and his family with a new customised implant system that will fuse the damaged bones together. And Vinnie the two-year-old tabby cat is rushed into the surgery after being hit by a car. Thankfully he has no internal injuries but he has sustained significant damage to his back legs. Noel and the team fight to repair the damage before infection can take hold.

A Marbella-based seven-month-old expat French bulldog is flown in by private jet from Spain with his family after surgery to fix his broken elbow proved unsuccessful. Its family hopes a custom fusion plate system will get Milo out of pain. Eleven-year-old rescue brindle boxer Bramble is referred to Noel by a local vet after a mystery mass has been found eating away the bone around her knee. Owner Paula opts for an innovative total knee replacement, but Noel is then presented with a massive dilemma when the hound breaks her femur during recovery.

Toy poodle Monty was jumped on by a larger dog, damaging his hip joint. Monty is so small that very few surgeons can perform a complex total hip replacement on such a miniature scale, so the family are hoping that Noel can help. Another two-year-old, 75kg Caucasian shepherd dog Odin, has a condition where malformed vertebrae in his neck are putting pressure on his spinal cord, causing pain and impairing the nerve signals to his back legs.