AN adorable 11-week old puppy may have to be put to rest unless vital funds are raised for a life-saving operation.

Little Karma, a bulldog cross bullmastiff, was born with no hip joints and a femoral head in her back legs.

The disabled pooch is unable to walk more than 200 yards due to the immense pain that comes with the rare bone disease.

Vets agreed that as the pup continues to grow older and heavier, the condition will worsen so it would be kinder to put her to sleep.

However, if £12,000 is raised within two months for a crucial operation, Karma's life could be saved.

Karma was brought into a loving home by her owner Staci Paterson, 24, from Paisley last month aged seven-weeks.

Staci recalls how the tiny pooch instantly bonded with her family, including her 16-month daughter Gracie.

She and her family thought the two would remain as lifelong friends however, their joy was short lived after a routine check up at the vet.

Staci said: “We got her when she was just seven weeks all and she immediately got on with the entire family.

“My 16-month daughter Gracie can sometimes be a bit funny with other animals including my cat, so it was great that she took so well to Karma. The two of them really share a special bond.

“They always play about and nap together although Karma is always trying to steal Gracie's toys.

“We didn't realise that there was anything wrong with her until we took her to the vets for her 10-week vaccination.

“One of the staff at the vets thought she had dislocated her hip however after they looked at the X-rays they saw something worse.

“It was discovered that Karma has a rare bone condition which means she was born with no hip joints and a femoral head in her back legs.”

Staci was told by the veterinarian to have Karma put to sleep, otherwise her life would be full of pain and suffering.

However when all seemed lost, the family discovered that a vet in Godalming, England could perform the type of surgery that would give the pup a chance to survive.

The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals passed their case onto Channel 4’s SuperVet, Fitzpatrick Referrals.

The groundbreaking veterinary practice founded by Professor Noel Fitzpatrick - also known as the SuperVet - offers bionic surgery and life saving operations for animals who would otherwise be put to sleep.

“We had her taken to the vet for a routine check up before but they didn't pick up on it,” said Staci.

“It's usually common in smaller dogs like Westies who can usually get on as normal as they have a lighter weight.

“However as Karma is much bigger and is going to continue growing it will only get more painful for her.

“When we took her on her first walk she couldn't get any further than 200 yards and was walking on her front like a rabbit.

“She was all over the place and looked like she was drunk.

“We need around £12,000 to cover the cost of surgery on both hips, each are around £6,000 plus the cost of travel and accommodation to get the surgery down south.

“Only a handful of vets in the UK can do this operation. We haven't booked the operation yet but expect that it will have to be within two months as she is gaining more weight every day.”

Sadly the family's pet insurance company will not cover the cost of the life saving surgery because of a minor issue when filling out forms.

Now she has been forced to fund the surgery herself which she says will be very difficult for her family, especially with a young child to look after.

Time is running out for Karma, who is getting bigger every day, and has to be carried by her owners in order to get around.

Staci said: “So far the X-ray have only shown one hip to be affected by the disease however, it is likely to have spread to the other and we are getting more X-rays to confirm this.

“It is very daunting having to collect all the money ourselves so we have started the Crowdfunding page and hope to host a fundraiser event too.

“We've already started getting local people donating prizes for raffle and auction however are appealing for anyone else who may be able to contribute to get in touch.”

The Crowdfunder can be found at https://www.gofundme.com/2d5ze98 and Karma's Fundraising page is www.facebook.com/groups/254034628312124.