14 DAY TRIAL // Vets in Germany have performed ground-breaking surgery on a tortoise named Schildi, and have managed to save its life by amputating its front leg and replacing it with a Lego wheel.
The tortoise is believed to have been abandoned by its owners and, at the time when it was found by the manager of Bird Consulting International in Baden, its front leg was badly infected.
Vets concluded that Schildi only had one shot at survival, and that this shot boiled down to its saying goodbye to its injured leg and welcoming a Lego wheel in its life.
“First we fitted a double wheel but it was difficult for him to turn corners so we replaced it with a single wheel and that is much better for him,” explains Dr. Panagiotis Azmanis. The Local says the wheel is fitted on a base block that's been attached to the tortoise's body with the help of surgical glue, and that it will probably have to be replaced in about a year because of wear and tear.
“If he gets a 'flat tyre' it will be a simple matter to replace the wheel. They move around quite a lot so I'd expect to see him for a new wheel about once a year,” Dr. Panagiotis Azmanis says.
Here's hoping Schildi will lead a long and happy life.