A dog owner has been left heartbroken after her beloved husky suddenly became paralysed during a walk.
Owner Michaela Sedmakova was watching her four-year-old dog play off lead in a park in Danescourt, Cardiff, when he "yelled like never before".
Knowing something was wrong, Michaela rushed to her dog, Mason, to check what had happening.
She thought he might have broken his leg when playfully running after another dog - and did not expect his injury to be life-changing.
Michaela said: "He ran to meet some friends when all of a sudden, his back legs stopped moving. He thudded to the ground and cried out."
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Shouting to her husband, Scott, to calm their dog while she started up the car, Michaela rushed Mason to the vets to get a professional's opinion on the situation.
"Once in the car, we phoned our vets to say we were on our way. We don’t know what happened, but it wasn't looking good," she said.
"At that point, Mason was trying to find comfortable position on the seat next to me but he was just bent really awkward and unnatural.
"When we arrived at the vets, they took him in straight away and told us to wait in the car. They were updating us regularly.
"They did a blood test and checked his limbs but couldn’t see anything wrong with them and after couple of hours waiting, they told us it could be a spinal injury."
Mason was referred to an overnight animal hospital in Bristol, where they specialise in neurology, a branch of medicine dealing with disorders of the nervous system.
Michaela added: "They took Mason in on a stretcher.
"After some time, the vet called us in to speak to us. She said until the MRI is done, they won’t know what it is.
"We were sent home again and were supposed to wait for a call.
"These were the worst longest and darkest four days. We couldn’t sleep, we couldn’t eat, we just cried."
Finally the long awaited phone call arrived but Michaela and Scott didn't receive the positive news they had been so desperately hoping for.
"The MRI showed what she was expecting - a non-compressive disc extrusion, which means he is paralysed in his back legs," said Michaela.
"They kept him for couple more days to see if he would start eating.
"When we picked him up after 4 days, we couldn’t wait to see him. He was so happy to see us."
Michaela and Scott took little Mason home because they couldn't bear to be without him any longer.
She said: "We had to learn how to use his special harness, to express his bladder three times a day, to exercise him four to six times a day and we were referred to a physiotherapist in Cowbridge.
"We won’t give up the hope even though we’ve been told he may never walk again."
Throughout everything, Mason has remained his "smiling" self - but heartrendingly doesn't understand why he can no longer run around and jump on the sofa with his owners.
Michaela has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover Mason's medical treatments which are not covered by their insurance.
Speaking on Mason's behalf, his GoFundMe page reads: "Mummy and daddy took me home, where I feel happy again.
"They hope that if I do all my exercises, I might be able to play with my friends soon.
"They need some support to pay for the physiotherapy, hydrotherapy or a possible future surgery.
"I was insured but the blood test, MRI, hospital stay and special equipment already come close to £4,000, which exceeds my level of cover.
"I’m trying to help my parents to get some funds for my future recovery. I have a long road ahead to get myself back on my feet. Any contributions will go a long way."
To help support Mason, visit his GoFundMe page.
Do you have a dog story to share? Email paige.freshwater@reachplc.com.
