A PET whippet from Yelverton who survived an horrific traffic accident is now well on the way to recovery — thanks to the efforts of vets and a top plastic surgeon from Derriford Hospital.

Moss was hit by a truck early in January and was rushed to Town Farm Veterinary Centre at Horrabridge in an appalling condition.

Vet Christian Bamber said: 'It looked like he had been skinned from the rib cage downwards. It just looked like a piece of meat — it was a really huge area of skin loss.'

Christian said Moss was 'remarkably bright' considering his terrible injuries and even tried to walk around the surgery.

Despite a poor outlook, Moss survived the first week, frequently anaesthetised, while the surface of his wounds healed and veterinary staff worked to keep infection at bay.

Once healthy tissue had formed, the vets could tackle the problem of grafting new skin over the rear half of Moss's body.

Christian said: 'The problem with whippets is they have extremely thin skin and they don't have a lot to spare. With some dogs you can stretch the skin and tack it over — you can't with a whippet.'

It was at this point that Town Farm enlisted the help of top plastic surgeon Rob Morris from Derriford Hospital — assistance which Christian said was 'invaluable'.

'He really was a great help. We used the latest technique in human plastic surgery, a modified technique of punch grafts and took skin from his neck as donor skin.

'We planted them in strategic positions over the surface of the wound and that provided little islands of skin from which it could spread and grow out, eventually covering the whole wound.'

During his treatment, Moss had to be confined and allowed very little movement, which could have destroyed the grafting process.

'He is a very lucky dog,' said Christian. 'I think probably a lot of people thought it was doubtful he would make it.

'He was amazing, very well behaved. There were a lot of things some dogs wouldn't have tolerated but he was patient and brave — he helped himself to recover in that respect.'

Christian said food manufacturer Eukanuba also stepped in when they heard about Moss's horrifying accident, supplying him with a special convalescent food to boost his recovery.

Bernie Bruen, Moss's owner, said the accident happened when Moss was about to go out for a walk.

'He slipped through the gate and a truck apparently came down the hill, knocked into him, scooted him along the road,' said Bernie, who had no doubt that despite his injuries, Moss would survive.

'I have trust in the vets, they've been superb and he's a young dog,' he said, adding that the pedigree black whippet now looks like 'Frankenstein's dog', with lines of stitches, scars, patchy fur and a limp.

Moss is still having physiotherapy for the pelvic injury he sustained in the accident, but is now well on the way to recovery and home with Bernie, wife Patricia and the rest of the family.

Bernie said: 'He'll never do 37mph again — before this, he could actually run towards me from the other side of the road and clear it.

'But he he's a great little dog, a tremendous character and part of the family.'