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More on KentOnline
An internet famous pug who needed surgery after an ear infection left him unbalanced and with a permanent head tilt is now recovering at home thanks to generous donations from his fans.
Puggy Smalls, who enjoys long woodland walks near his home in Cranbrook, has nearly one million followers across social media platforms and has been keeping the internet entertained throughout the pandemic.
But the six-year-old pooch recently fell ill with vestibular disease caused by an ear infection.
After an emergency trip to the vets, Puggy's condition spiralled and he was left with balance so poor he was constantly dizzy, partially deaf, visually impaired and suffered from nausea and confusion.
The surgery to fix the problem was priced at £12,000 would not be covered by Puggy's insurance.
In a plea for help, owner Nick Ettridge turned to his loyal followers and in a matter of hours the sum was raised.
Now, just over a week after his surgery, the notorious Puggy Smalls has made a miraculous recovery and is now steadier on his feet.
Mr Ettridge said: "When I picked him up he ran out into the car park where I had to meet him. I dropped to the floor and he sprinted towards me so he must have got a sense of relief straight away from whatever was going on in his ear.
"He has been getting better every single day and he is becoming a bit more human."
Puggy is still slightly wobbly and his hearing is not completely fixed but once the swelling goes down he should be back to pawfect health.
He is looking forward to making more videos in the summer and going on a camping trip with his sisters Pops the Sausage and Pomegranate the Pomeranian.
Mr Ettridge first set up an Instagram account for Puggy when he was just a 10-week-old puppy.
It wasn't until three years ago the pooch became an internet sensation after a video of him coming out of an office drawer went viral reaching more than a million views overnight.
Puggy is so famous, he even has his own website, blog, merchandise, and a Wikipedia page.
