Skip to content
  • Happy Health
  • Happy Mindset
  • Animal Wonders
  • About Us
    • Team
  • Subscribe
Menu
  • Happy Health
  • Happy Mindset
  • Animal Wonders
  • About Us
    • Team
  • Subscribe
Happy News

Meet Popcorn, The Pomeranian With A 3D-Printed Brain Shield

When 8-year-old Pomeranian Popcorn Bester was viciously attacked by another dog, the damage was catastrophic: her skull shattered into more than three pieces with bone fragments pressing dangerously against her brain, leaving her weak, off-balance, and at risk of seizures. Dr. Shannon van Rooyen at the University of Pretoria’s Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital knew traditional surgery wouldn’t be enough for this complex case, so she turned to cutting-edge technology to save the tiny dog’s life. Using advanced imaging, the surgical team created a perfect 3D model of Popcorn’s skull and designed a custom titanium plate that would fit her exactly like a protective helmet for her brain.

In May, Dr. van Rooyen and Dr. Adriaan Kitshoff performed the delicate surgery, carefully removing the damaged bone fragments to relieve pressure on Popcorn’s brain before placing the titanium plate to reconstruct her skull and shield it from future trauma. The little Pomeranian spent considerable time in the ICU receiving round-the-clock care from clinicians and veterinary students, slowly regaining her strength day by day. When she was finally strong enough to be discharged, Dr. van Rooyen threw her a graduation ceremony complete with a certificate honoring “little four-legged warrior’s champion strength.” Over four months later, Popcorn is completely back to her old self, eating, playing, and enjoying life with a titanium-reinforced skull that proves modern veterinary medicine can work miracles.

PrevPreviousCapybara and Howler Monkey Friendship Defies All Odds
NextLost Cat Was Living HOW CLOSE The Entire Time?!Next

Recent Articles

Happy News

Communities Across America Are Banning AI Data Centers And The Number Just Jumped From 8 To 78

May 10, 2026

According to the U.S. Data Center Moratorium Tracker, communities across the country have been pushing back against the rapid expansion of AI data centers with growing success, with the number of active bans and moratoriums jumping from just 8 in May 2025 to 78 today, including 50 active restrictions and

Read More
Happy News

An Alaska Animal Shelter Lets You Borrow A Dog For 48 Hours And It Is Leading To More Adoptions

May 10, 2026

The Anchorage Animal Care and Control shelter in Alaska launched a program in spring 2025 called Tails on Trails that has since become one of the most talked-about shelter initiatives in the country, pairing volunteers with a shelter dog for 48 hours and sending them out to explore the trails

Read More
Happy News

Scientists Gave Monkeys A Reward-Free Video Game And They Played Nearly 100 Rounds Anyway

May 10, 2026

Researchers at Kyoto University’s Institute for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior set out to test whether curiosity in Japanese macaques follows the same pattern observed in humans, and what they found should resonate with anyone who has ever gone down a late-night internet rabbit hole for no practical reason

Read More
« Previous Next »
  • Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility Notice
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Unsubscribe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility Notice
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Unsubscribe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2026 HappyNews.