DACHSHUND A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE JUST WHEN HIS OWNER NEEDS
LIFE JUST WHEN HIS OWNER NEEDS HIM MOST.
HIM MOST. THE STORY FROM NBC’S JOHN
THE STORY FROM NBC’S JOHN TORRES.
TORRES. >> Reporter: ANDY THE DACHSHUND
>> Reporter: ANDY THE DACHSHUND HAS ALWAYS BEEN FULL OF ENERGY.
HAS ALWAYS BEEN FULL OF ENERGY. HIS OWNER, LORRAINE YOUNG, SAYS
HIS OWNER, LORRAINE YOUNG, SAYS HE HAS TWO SPEEDS, FAST AND
HE HAS TWO SPEEDS, FAST AND FASTER.
FASTER. >> HIGH ENERGY GUY.
>> HIGH ENERGY GUY. >> Reporter: VERY PLAY FULL?
>> Reporter: VERY PLAY FULL? >> VERY.
>> VERY. >> Reporter: ANDY WAS A CONSTANT
>> Reporter: ANDY WAS A CONSTANT COMPANION TO LORRAINE’S LATE
COMPANION TO LORRAINE’S LATE HUSBAND ROBERT.
HUSBAND ROBERT. HOW DID THEY GET ALONG?
HOW DID THEY GET ALONG? >> VERY WELL.
>> VERY WELL. THEY WERE BEST BUDDIES.
THEY WERE BEST BUDDIES. >>
>> >>.
>>. >> Reporter: BUT ONE DAY ANDY’S
>> Reporter: BUT ONE DAY ANDY’S GET UP AND GO JUST DISAPPEARED.
GET UP AND GO JUST DISAPPEARED. >> HE GOT UP AND HE COULDN’T GET
>> HE GOT UP AND HE COULDN’T GET OUT OF THE BED AND HE WAS
OUT OF THE BED AND HE WAS DRAGGING HIS LEGS BEHIND HIM.
DRAGGING HIS LEGS BEHIND HIM. HE WAS PARALYZED.
HE WAS PARALYZED. >> Reporter: ANDY WAS SUFFERING
>> Reporter: ANDY WAS SUFFERING FROM A LIFE THREATENING SPINE
FROM A LIFE THREATENING SPINE CONDITION.
CONDITION. SHE LEARNED THE BAD NEWS.
SHE LEARNED THE BAD NEWS. HE NEEDED EMERGENCY SPINE
HE NEEDED EMERGENCY SPINE SURGERY.
SURGERY. >> THE LONGER YOU WAIT, THE
>> THE LONGER YOU WAIT, THE GREAT JEST RISK THAT YOU’RE
GREAT JEST RISK THAT YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE PERMANENT
GOING TO HAVE PERMANENT PARALYSIS.
PARALYSIS. >> Reporter: IT’S A VERY RISKY
>> Reporter: IT’S A VERY RISKY SURGERY.
SURGERY. ANDY’S BONES, BLOOD VESSELS AND
ANDY’S BONES, BLOOD VESSELS AND NERVES FIT IN A TINY SPACE THE
NERVES FIT IN A TINY SPACE THE SIZE OF A FINGER.
SIZE OF A FINGER. IF HIS SURGEONS WERE A FRACTION
IF HIS SURGEONS WERE A FRACTION OFF, IT COULD SPELL DISASTER BUT
OFF, IT COULD SPELL DISASTER BUT ANDY HAD FORTUNE ON HIS SIDE.
ANDY HAD FORTUNE ON HIS SIDE. THE DOG’S SURGEONS HAD RECENTLY
THE DOG’S SURGEONS HAD RECENTLY TEEMED UP WITH THE HUMAN DOCTORS
TEEMED UP WITH THE HUMAN DOCTORS AT THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY
AT THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY IN A REVOLUTIONARY PROGRAM.
IN A REVOLUTIONARY PROGRAM. ANDY WAS THEIR FIRST PATIENT.
ANDY WAS THEIR FIRST PATIENT. TOGETHER THEY CREATED THE 3-D
TOGETHER THEY CREATED THE 3-D PRINTED MODEL OF ANDY’S SPINE.
PRINTED MODEL OF ANDY’S SPINE. IT WAS THE ROADMAP HIS SURGEONS
IT WAS THE ROADMAP HIS SURGEONS NEEDED TO SAVE HIS LIFE.
NEEDED TO SAVE HIS LIFE. >> IT NOT ONLY HELPED ME KNOW
>> IT NOT ONLY HELPED ME KNOW WHERE IT BEGAN BUT IT HELPED ME
WHERE IT BEGAN BUT IT HELPED ME KNOW THE DIRECTION OF WHERE ALL
KNOW THE DIRECTION OF WHERE ALL THE MATERIAL AND THE DAMAGE WAS.
THE MATERIAL AND THE DAMAGE WAS. SO BY HAVING THE 3-D RENDERING I
SO BY HAVING THE 3-D RENDERING I KNEW EXACTLY WHERE TO GO IN THE
KNEW EXACTLY WHERE TO GO IN THE SURGERY.
SURGERY. >> THE OPERATION WAS A SUCCESS
>> THE OPERATION WAS A SUCCESS AND SOON ANDY WAS WAGGING HIS
AND SOON ANDY WAS WAGGING HIS TAIL AGAIN.
TAIL AGAIN. >> THERE HE IS.
>> THERE HE IS. >> Reporter: HE NOW GOES TO
>> Reporter: HE NOW GOES TO PHYSICAL THERAPY TWICE A WEEK
PHYSICAL THERAPY TWICE A WEEK AND LORRAINE SAYS HE IS ALREADY
AND LORRAINE SAYS HE IS ALREADY BACK TO HIS ENERGETIC SELF.
BACK TO HIS ENERGETIC SELF. >> AS LORRAINE DEALS WITH THE
>> AS LORRAINE DEALS WITH THE LOSS OF HER BELOVED HUSBAND,
LOSS OF HER BELOVED HUSBAND, ANDY’S BODY IS HEALING JUST IN
ANDY’S BODY IS HEALING JUST IN TIME FOR HIM TO HELP HEAL HER
TIME FOR HIM TO HELP HEAL HER HEART.
HEART. >> Reporter: DO YOU TAKE CARE OF
>> Reporter: DO YOU TAKE CARE OF ANDY?
ANDY? DOES ANDY TAKE CARE OF YOU?
DOES ANDY TAKE CARE OF YOU? >> THAT’S A GOOD QUESTION.
>> THAT’S A GOOD QUESTION. I THINK WE KEEP EACH OTHER IN
I THINK WE KEEP EACH OTHER IN LINE.
LINE. >> Reporter: FOR "TODAY," DR.
