pete has AAS
 

pete is 4 1/2 years old and was just diagnosed with alantoaxial subluxation. what are nonsurgical options and has anyone experienced this?

I'm so sorry about Pete :(! There is a member (bleu boy barber) who went through surgery and everything at Texas A&M with her furbaby who had AAS. If you search her user name in the Sick/Emerg forum - you will see her threads....do you know how to do that?

Here is the search, I did it for you :): http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sea...archid=3824885

If you PM Vicky, I'm sure she will help you w/ any questions. Also, feel free to start a thread in Sick/Emerg so more people can see it...and put the disease in the thread title. Do you want me to change the title of this thread for you?

bumping this thread:)

Oh my! Have you seen my thread "Please pray for Tucker"? He is seven months old, and has Anlantoaxial subluxation. We have seen two neurologists, and will be seeing a third on Wednesday. We believe he will do the surgery this week. A neurologist must handle the problem. Most of the time, they will recomend surgery.If not, the dog has to wear a very uncomfortable brace for the rest of it's life. The brace will need to be changed every two to three weeks (by a neurologist) Vet schools are the best place to look for one. Your dog is at risk of instant death or paralysis. The problem is almost always congenital. However, at four and a half years---was he or she injured in some way? Surgery is the only permanant fix. It's somewhat risky, but the other alternative didn't seem suitable for me. Tucker is still so rambunctious. He's in a very protective brace now while we await surgery. The brace is very restrictive, and he hates it. The surgeru isn't cheap, but I've been told you might get help. Do contact Blueboy's mom. I wish you the best of luck, and I'll be praying for your baby too. Tucker's Mom

thank you and no i am having much trouble using this-i appreciate help

i am new to yorkie talk and having trouble-but, i was happy to get a response-sorry about your pup-it is possible that my pete had a monor injury, because, he played rough with my daughters yorkie easter-he worsened after that-i went to a vet specialist group in atlanta and a neurosurgeon did the mri that identified his proble- pete is on bed rest and predisone now for 2 more weeks-the vet said usually this was identified in pups and it was unusal for a dog pete's age to just find out-he has had neurological symptoms that i mistook for fluxating patella-i just wondered what my options are-we go back to the nuro vet soon

I sent you a pm (personal message). It will appear in your email. lgoodall

Please join this group ~ there are a handful of ppl going thru AAI

congenitaldogs : Hereditary /congenital diseases in dogs

I just sent a message to another member who has gone through AAS with her baby. Hopefully we can get you some help soon :)

Thank you Sonja,
I am Val and I am a AAI mom. I have a yorkie that has had Atlantoaxial Instability for three years. And yes treat him like a china doll because with this condition he can become injured very easily.
What is Pete showing for signs. IE: paralyzed, walking funny,breathing funny.
Pete can have surgery to correct this. You should look into that.
I have just started a group on Yahoo to support parents that are going through the struggle with AAI pups. If you would like to email me or join my AAI group Please either Email me or just join Atlantoaxial_Instability_AAI_pups : Atlantoaxial_Instability_AAI_pups
my email is Mybabe4me@aol.com
I have so many files on AAI that I thought starting a group so parents could get the information in one spot would be good and can get the support they need.
This is a congenital defect but can also be a aquired injury also. The playing rough could cause this injury also being hit by a car can also cause this injury in big dogs.
I am here for support for you and please email me or join in on the AAI group. There are many people here that will help out with support also. But I am definately here for you if you need me.
You can also read about Babybear at www.dogster.com/dogs/136060

The rescue I belong too has a little pup that also has this and due to her small size she was not a canidiate for surgery...till she got bigger...even then they were questioning whether she would ever get big enough....she has been doing the casts and now only wears a removable one that is just thicker then a collar.... her bones have fused...however she also was very young when this happened..

You can read about her on Yorkies Inc. Placement Service her name is Posey....

i just read about posie-wow-what a story-but, honestly how can anyone afford that kind of care-

what is aai and what are sysmptons?:aimeeyork

Atlantoaxial Instability

Atlantoaxial instability is a condition in which the first two cervical (neck) vertebrae are not firmly attached. Normally, the atlas (the first cervical vertebra) and the axis (the second cervical vertebra) are attached by a group of ligaments. They are further stabilized by a prominence on the axis called the dens that protrudes into a hole in the atlas.

Dogs with congenital atlantoaxial instability are born without ligament support to their atlantoaxial joint, and may also be born without a dens. Trauma to the neck can also cause tearing of the ligaments or fracture of the dens, resulting in atlantoaxial instability.

Atlantoaxial instability can lead to cervical spinal cord injury, the symptoms of which include: neck pain; a drunken, staggering gait; paralysis of all four legs; or sudden death.