A labrador with a rare heart condition is to receive specialist treatment normally reserved for humans after vets said they could not help.
Nine-month-old Lycka's anguished owner Christian Collin was told by veterinary surgeons that the operation was too difficult to undertake.
But rather than giving up on the adorable pet, vets at Maison-Alfort passed Lycka's case to the Montsouris hospital in Paris.
Surgeons at the top hospital - which normally operates on those with only two legs - agreed to undertake the surgery for free.
Mr Collin was still left fearing the worst, however, when doctors said that operating costs of €3000 (£2,400) would still need to paid due to the specialist equipment used during the surgery.
Currently out of work, Mr Colin was unable to foot the bill.
But a charity, the French Society for the Protection of Animals (SPA), soon came to the rescue, agreeing to pay 70 per cent of the bill and launching a Facebook campaign to raise the rest.
The charity said that it was close to raising the total and had received 'wonderful' support from members of the public.
One man donated €300, according to the SPA, and they are confident of raising the remainder before the operation, which is to take place on December 20.
The decision to offer Lycka human surgery has come in for criticism though, with some people suggesting that some humans are in need of such life-saving treatment.
A doctor who works in one of Paris' more impoverished suburbs, said: 'I would like to think that I would have as much success if I needed a prosthesis for one of patients. Lots of them lead dogs' lives.'
He told Le Parisien: 'On a personal level, I understand this man's attachment to his dog and the fact that he wants to do everything to save it. But if you take a step back, you have to admit we live in a rather strange society.'
Some of Lycka's supporters were furious on the dog's Facebook site, with one writing: 'An animal is often more grateful than a human.'
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love to the dr's involved, heart op. the dr's who will save another souls life are sent from a place full of pure love x
They should REQUIRE that all the Vets who said it was to complicated a procedure be in attendance during the ENTIRE operation and it should be filmed and dispersed to all Veterinary Schools in the World.
Three cameras, all angles, lighting, ceiling mirrors - the works.
Get Scorsese do do it.
I would sell my house and live on the street to get the money it would take to care for any of my dogs! They are family and my best friends. My heart and my prayers go out to both Lycka and Mr Collin. I hope you will keep us up to date on how Lycka is getting along.Is there anything any of us can do to help??
a very "heart warming" story
I do agree that there are a lot of humans out there desperate for treatment but at the same time I think it fantastic that these great surgeons have agreed to operate on this wee dog.
My feeling is that it is time that all the vets had some training in heart surgery when they train and that they have refresher courses every couple of years so if something like this happens again that they will be able to treat the animal not just stick it in the too hard basket. They are animal doctors and surgeons after all and shld be able to treat the whole animal not just part of it.
Deus nos deu a Vida,e ao homem cabe preserva-la,mesmo em um animal.
I'd like to know what anyone complaining about this has done for the human race. anytime someone is good to an animal some people are in a snit. there is something wrong wit them.