Italian greyhound puppy breaks both front legs, pensioner faces $20k vet bill

The young pup broke his first leg after doing zoomies around the lounge. Photo / Givealittle

A Whangaparāoa woman who recently lost her beloved dog was dealt another round of tragedy when the dog she bought to replace him broke two of his legs.

Diane Woodhouse, 67, turned to Givealittle after surgery and vet bills for her puppy climbed beyond $20,000.

Woodhouse was “distressed for six months” after her Italian greyhound of 14 years, Georgio, died of old age in January this year.

“He’ll always be the first,” the semi-retiree said.

“He’s on the mantle now, there’s pictures of him everywhere.”

Heartbroken, she made arrangements to buy another Italian greyhound “to be the fun, cool friend I need as I age gracefully”.

She travelled to Christchurch to collect new puppy Romeo from a breeder and brought him home to Army Bay.

But within seven weeks, the “fearless” pup, whom she affectionately called a “lovable psycho”, broke one of his front legs while doing zoomies around the lounge.

“He just jumped off the couch and it didn’t look like he landed badly, but he let out an almighty scream and I immediately knew what he’d done.”

Romeo will require further corrective surgery on his bow leg. Photo / Givealittle

Italian greyhounds are notorious for fragile legs between 0-18 months, Woodhouse said, “because they think they’re Superman”.

The second break happened as Romeo was recovering from the first.

Woodhouse was at work when she received a call from her housemate saying Romeo “must have got inquisitive”, and knocked over a large painting and taken another tumble.

“He let out another almighty scream.

“I just ran to the car and drove home as fast as I could,” she said.

Romeo had broken his other front leg and required further surgery.

Each surgery costs up to $8500, and X-rays alone are $1100.

“There’s only so much a retiree can do. The well is dry,” Woodhouse said.

Although pet insurance contributed $10,000, it didn’t fully cover even the first break.

Romeo the Italian greyhound broke both front legs in separate accidents. Photo / Givealittle

Through it all, Romeo remains “the love of my life”.

Woodhouse takes the small pup to her part-time job so she can keep a close eye on him.

“He’s tiny, and people instantly want to cuddle him.

“He just wants to be with you, in the car, on the couch, at work, always.”

Romeo still needs corrective surgery for his bow leg from the first fall, and another to remove “a couple of screws and a plate” from the other leg.

“He’s doing well; it’s been a journey, but he’s a sweet little boy, and people just love him.”

The Givealittle page has raised more than $2500 so far.