Thursday TV Tips: 'I thought she was dead' — Supervet Noel Fitzpatrick on his dog's injuries
"Thank you to everyone who has shared your kind thoughts for Keira while she remains in recovery. She is by no means out of the woods yet, but my brave and magnificent little girl continues to astonish me with her resilience at 13 years young. Love from Keira and Noel x" Picture: @ProfNoelFitz
In September 2020, Professor Noel Fitzpatrick’s 13-year-old border terrier, Keira, was hit by a van outside his practice. He recalls “hearing his terrier’s body explode in front of him” after the vehicle came speeding around the corner.
"I heard the cracking and ripping of bones breaking and flesh tearing as she screamed. I screamed. I thought the tyre had driven over her back end and she was dead."
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 and face the possibility that his beloved Keira may not be fixable.
Tonight's programme, the first in a new series of The Supervet tells the emotional and heart-rending story of the dog's fight for life. Keira sustained a ruptured abdominal lining and urinary bladder, a crushed sacrum and pelvis and a dislocated hip, Noel's colleagues work tirelessly to repair extensive internal damage.
Following two blood transfusions and days of intensive care, Noel faces an agonising wait to determine not only what intricate surgery may be possible for her skeleton, but also whether Keira will be able to withstand the procedures which could allow her to walk again.
This week features Bernard Deay in Clane who is making an incredible hot tub out of old bins and a load of recycled rubbish. And Adrian Padden in Ballina, Co Mayo, is building an impressive geodesic dome greenhouse from plans he found on the internet — the only problem is that they’re in Russian.
One hundred years ago, Northern Ireland officially came into existence as the partition of the island of Ireland took legal effect. This two-part history series looks back at the earliest days of the Border and how its controversial 496km route was decided. The opening episode begins after the First World War and looks at how, on June 22, 1921, King George V and Queen Mary arrived in Belfast for the official opening of the first Northern Ireland parliament.
June takes a harrowing journey with Janine, trying to escape Gilead, as Janine recalls a
stressful experience. In Toronto, Serena tries to manipulate Rita, who seeks advice from Moira.
, R na G, 7pm: Emma Ní Fhíoruisce, Enda Reilly and Fergal Moloney take on the challenge of composing and recording three new songs overnight.
