Appeal for ballet shoes - for a dog

Linda Mercury's 12-year-old dog Bisto has an incurable neurological illness called Cauda Equina Syndrome, which means he is not able to control his legs and organs below the waist.

Ms Mercury, of Swan Dene, Pagham, has been adapting a pair of leather ballet shoes to cushion Bisto's back paws to stop them getting grazed and injured when his feet drag along the floor.

Mrs Mercury, who also has the same illness as Bisto, has been using children's socks for the past month, but they fall off in wet weather and wear through within two days. She said she was desperate to get a good supply of leather ballet shoes which would enable her to keep Bisto a little longer.

She has had Bisto since he was eight weeks old and named him using letters from the names of her previous two dogs, Boris and Rothy. He was diagnosed with CES last October by an animal homeopath.

"Twelve is a good age for a golden retriever," said Ms Mercury. "He's still with it mentally, but physically his body is breaking down. He can't understand why his legs are giving way or why we don't go for long walks any more."

Ms Mercury was diagnosed with Cauda Equina Syndrome herself during her late 20s after visiting an osteopath because of back problems she was experiencing.

She has multiple nerve problems: at the age of nine she was diagnosed with polio, she was diagnosed with mild spina bifida and also a very serious condition called diastomatomyelia where the spinal cord splits lengthways.

She said Bisto was her best friend and her understanding of the condition was why she wanted to help him as much as possible before his last days.

"He was obviously meant to come to me," she said. "I had the pick of the whole litter and I picked him. We can't go on long walks, we suit each other.

"That is why it is so important to me to see him out. I was waiting until he had become incontinent before putting him to sleep, as that is the next stage of the condition, but now he could have to be put to sleep earlier, just because normal protective dog footwear is unsuitable for him.

"I have no family left alive and my own outlook is pretty grim, but it will be unbearable when he goes so any extra time with him is precious."

Ms Mercury runs a helpline for people with CES.

Anyone with offers of free leather ballet shoes should call the helpline on 01243 262884.