On June 16, Stewart Street Veterinary Hospital's Dr James Hunter performed his first tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO) surgery on a live dog.

The surgery was performed under the supervision of specialist Dr Chris Tan, who travelled to Bathurst from Sydney for the day.

The patient was six-year-old rottweiler Nutsy, who 12 months earlier had ruptured the cranial cruciate ligament in her rear left knee, causing pain, arthritis and instability in the joint.

She aggravated the injury in early 2022, increasing the need for her to have surgery.

Under normal circumstances, she would have to be taken to Sydney to be able to access TPLO surgery, which is a major advancement in treating CCL injuries and considered far superior for larger breed dogs.

But Dr Hunter had been studying the technique and was at the point in his training where he was ready to use it on a live dog, after having successfully performed it on bone models and a cadaver.

"I'd identified that we could be helping larger breed dogs with cruciate disease a lot better than previously and so I did a two-day training course in this technique and together with Chris Tan, who's been mentoring me, and also investing in a lot of new equipment, we're confident to be able to offer this service," he said.

He said there were several factors that made Nutsy an ideal candidate for his first surgery.

"The first thing is just having such a well natured, sweet dog. It makes a big difference with how they go in terms of all of the aftercare and physiotherapy," he said.

"And also I think the biggest factor would be the clients, being very understanding and being able to just talk frankly and openly about what we're trying to do here and our experience level."

Nutsy was also overall healthy and in a good weight range, which is important when considering surgery.

The surgery involved cutting the top of the tibia and rotating the bone where it meets at the joint, with Dr Hunter having a 22-step process to follow.

He said that operation day was a mix of nervous apprehension, excitement and interest, and there was a big sense of relief after surgery to know that everything went well the first time around.

As a result, it is looking increasingly likely that Stewart Street Veterinary Hospital will be able to offer this surgery permanently.

"The technique is something that I'll be continuing to develop my skills in with Chris, and I'm also liaising with a couple of other vets in Sydney who are also learning this technique, so we're sharing cases and knowledge that way as well," Dr Hunter said.

"Shortly we'll be able to offer this surgery independent of specialist help.

"... It'll make a huge difference in terms of stress for the animal travelling and convenience for the owners to be able to offer this in Bathurst locally, which has never been offered in Bathurst before."

Nutsy's owners, Harry and Rachel Chamberlain, were grateful for the opportunity to have the surgery in Bathurst using the best technique, saying it took an enormous weight off their shoulders.

"From the moment we had confirmation she'd injured the ligament, we knew she would need to have surgery. It was just a matter of how soon," the couple said.

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"Our priority was always to give her the best possible outcome, and we would have taken her anywhere and paid whatever price necessary to do that, but our biggest fear was the transportation. How do you get a large dog back to Bathurst from Sydney when they've just had major surgery and are scared and in pain?

"When we found out there was a chance to have her surgery done locally with a specialist in the room, there wasn't much to think about. It eliminated the transportation element that we were so concerned about.

"And, importantly, we knew that by giving Dr Hunter the chance to practise this technique on Nutsy, it would put the vet clinic in a position to offer this surgery in future so other families don't even have to think about going to Sydney."

They said that even though it was Dr Hunter's first time performing this technique on a live dog, they had complete faith in him.

"All the vets we've encountered at Stewart Street have been excellent. We trust them wholeheartedly and we know that Nutsy does, too," they said.

"The reality is that you have to start somewhere, and we knew that Dr Hunter wouldn't have put this option on the table if he wasn't ready. We're glad Nutsy could help in his training and we have full confidence that this will lead to the best outcome for her, for him as a vet and for any dog in Bathurst that needs this surgery in future."

Nutsy was up and walking around before she went home on June 17.

She will be kept confined for the first few weeks post-surgery and commence physiotherapy exercises to aid in her recovery.

It is anticipated she can return to normal exercise after three months, but it could take up to 12 months to regain 100 per cent use of the leg.

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