Atlantoaxial Subluxation Non Surgery
 

My 3 year baby (Jake) has had this injury. He only has a partial paralysis.
There is no doctor in my area that does this surgery. Does anyone know of the outcome with just the brace on for 8 weeks? Any information at all would be so greatly appreicated. We are just beside ourselves....we love Jake so much.

Thank you!
Pam

Pam could you please tell me a little more about what is wrong with your baby. I have a yorkie that is completely went paralyzed last year in July do to a illness called Atlantoaxial Instability(AAI for short) is this what your baby has?? Please it is I can help you out. And where abouts do you live. I am in Maine.
And I am looking forward to hearing more about your baby.

Sorry Pam,
I guess i skipped over your AAS head line. I was sent this thread by another Yorkie talk mom so i just knew you needed help.
I do have a thread on here about what happend to Babybear my yorkie baby he is now 2 years and 8 months. He has/had AAI/AAS but has had the surgery. With him I had no option. He jumped off my lap and broke his neck. So if you can please make prefectly sure he is not moving around alot because this can happen to your little one. Let me know if you would like more info on this disease I will help as much as possible. But if there is a chance of you having surgery for your little one you are much better off. This is why I am asking where you live. You would not be able to have your vet do surgery unless he specializes in this type of surgery. YOu need to see a neurologist to do this type of surgery. I will say it is exspensive. But truthfully it is a must with these AAI/AAS babies. The paralyzes will get worst not better unfortantunely. So please let me know a little more info and I will help you out. I will find my post of Baby's story and PM it to you.

Val - I was just going to see if you would come on over and chat with this Momma :)

Yorkiemalt had posted this very helpful information on another thread, maybe there is something here that would be of value :rolleyes:

Here's a few links I hope might be helpful to you...

The link below is for a low cost loan for assitance in paying for medical care, human or animal
http://www.carecredit.com/patients/whatis.htm

GENERAL:

Help-a-Pet: http://www.help-a-pet.org/index5.html
In Memory of Magic: http://www.imom.org/
United Animal Nations: http://www.uan.org/lifeline/resources.html
The Pet Fund: http://www.thepetfund.com/
Cats: http://www.fveap.org/sys-tmpl/door/

AREA SPECIFIC:

California
Los Angeles area: http://www.actorsandothers.com/emergencyhelp.html
http://rescueguide.com/aid.html
Redwood City area: http://www.petsinneed.org/Services.html
Bay Cities area: http://www.narfrescue.org/services/v...ry_support.htm
Colorado: http://www.dreampower-arf.com/ffriends.cfm
http://www.hmah.org/pageinpage/whatwedo.cfm
New York: http://www.nysave.org/
North Carolina: http://www.ashleyfund.org/
Oregon: http://www.bearenfoundation.org/
Rhode Island: http://www.defendersofanimals.org/
http://www.rivma.org/financialaid.html
http://www.volunteerservicesforanimals.org
Washington state:
http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/depts-prd/gsf.asp

Thank you for the information
 

Jake seems to be showing some signs of some improvement. We'll take it.
Thank you so much for posting this information for me. What a wonderful
website this is. Will keep you posted on Jake. Thank you for the support.
It means so much.

To do Surgery or not on Jake
 

I live in the Boston Area. We had the Head Neurologist at Angell go over his CT scans. He is saying that Jake's injury is at the lower level. He does have
movement. We are not letting him walk and his brace must be on for 8 weeks. They are saying that surgery is not the way to go. Too risky. He is very small and very weak right now. I am hoping that this is the right thing to do. The 3 Neurologists there all seems to agree. Jake's Vet too. So we
comfort him and try and nurse him back.

Thank you for all your information, I am just trying to get as much as I can.
I am so very grateful for your heko and caring.

Will keep in touch, so busy right noe trying to work and care for our baby.
But everyone is praying for him and pitching in.

Take care
and Thank you again
Pam

Pam,
I do not know if you got my pm but i did pm you. I know it is hard taken care of one of these little special needs babies. I have been taken care of my Babybear for 9+ months now. He is just starting to stand on his own. There are other people on another group I am on that you might want to talk to. There are people there that have gone through the surgery that your doctors are saying no to. But we can give you a lot of support and also so pointers on how we handle our babies. So please if you would like come join us at Congenitaldogs@yahoo.com. I will make sure you are approved I am one of the MOMs on there.
I wanted to let you know I am about 2 hours away from you in Maine. So if you ever need any help please do not hesitate to let me know.
I did have a few questions for you. One how much does Jake weigh?? When did this injury happen? And was this injury a congenital defect?? Sometimes they can get this injury from falling the wrong way or getting hit by a car.
I am very interested to know more. And I do not want to see you go through what I have been going through for 9+ months with my little guy.
This is why I am trying to get you more info.

Hi Val
 

I am so glad to find you!!! How awesome! I am at work right now, Been in Boston all weekend with Jake at Angell Hospital. But I will write to you tonight and fill you in. You baby looks just like Jake....

talk to you later! Thank you again....so grateful for your post!

Pam

Pam,
Can't wait to hear from you later today. I know Boston can be hectic. I went last year to bring my son to Children's hospital and man I hate what the big dig did to Boston. Oh well I guess we can't complain it will do us no good.
Is Jake alright?? Or did you have schedule appointments with him this past weekend. I hope all is fine. I always worry about these AAI/AAS babies. I hate the thought that they can injured more.
Can't wait to hear from you.

Jake's doing much better
 

I tried to chat last night, and kept getting bumped off...Jake is doing well.
We went to all our appts over the weekend and they put him in a better brace. It goes over his head now. He seems good with it. He's more alert.
They gave him some anti inflammatory meds and some small pain meds.
He took a few steps on Sunday for the first time, but the docts say to keep him crated so he won't keep trying to walk, and let it heal. They are thinking 2 months in the brace. They are hopeful for his recovery, but they say they just are not sure. He has really improved and it's only been 12 days.

We go back to the hospital every 10-12 days to get the brace re-done and get him checked out. We have a long road ahead and we have to do everything for him...but are up to it. We love are little guy so much. He's part of the family. Well, you know. I tried to get on your website, but I couldn't....I will try again later. Maybe I am typing something in wrong.

I am hoping that the choice of not doing surgery is the right one. I mentioned over the phone all the things you told me. They said he is not the worst case of this injury and were he is so small (5lbs) they just keep telling me it's not a good idea. So we'll let him heal and see how it goes. The long jumping is over for him. He thinks he superdog.

Thank you again for all your info, it was so helpful. Very grateful and hope to hear from you.

Hi all i am going through the same thing my baby is 5 months old and jumped off the sofa.I have had the surgrey but somthing has gone terrible wrong. could any one please help me i am at my wits ends donna

I am so sorry to hear this. I see that you are not on line right now. It is early over here in Canada.

You might be at the vet's which is a good thing. There is a yahoo group for AAI and or Chiari. I will try to find the link and post it here in this thread for you.

Also if you start your own thread it will get more attention, and it will be easier for all to see/help as we can.

Hi there thank you for replying i go to the spine clinic on monday. That would be great if you could find the link for me thanks again donna

[QUOTE=donna17;3755768]Hi there thank you for replying i go to the spine clinic on monday. That would be great if you could find the link for me thanks again donna[/QUOTE

AtlantoaxialInstabilitypups@yahoogroups.com

Here it is. Sherrlynne is a member here as well as of this group. I will pm her to let her know.

Thank you very much as i am writing this i am crying as i love my little alfie so much and i dont want to lose him as he only a baby 5 month:cry: donna

For some reason i cant use that link

Oh dear. Is there an emergency vet you can call to discuss what is going on with your Alfie?
Is he eating okay? Do you have the collar/neck brace on him? Is the collar/neckbrace bothering him?

Hi there he was not given a collar or neck brace in the first place. I will know more tommorw when i see the person who done the operation donna

I am posting a link to a thread here, that shows some info on the AAI -
http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sic...gery-help.html

I as explained do not have any experience with this surgery or condition; but with what I've read in this thread and in other threads, is that usually a neck brace is given. I thought that it would be important to keep the neck stable until the bones heal from the surgery.
Were you given some pain meds for him? And is he taking them okay?

Hi,

I am with Yorkies Inc and we are based out of Boston...we currently have Wyatt an AAI puppy who is also being seen at Angel...he is wearing a cast and will be for the next 6-8 months... We also had Posey another AAI pup who went to Angel and only worse the cast...she now has been adopted out has full mobility but always wears a no bite collar for protection...

You can see Wyatt on our site at Yorkies Inc. Placement Service and please feel free to contact Cathie his foster Mom who will answer any questions you might have.....

Hi
Just confirming we do have Donna and Alfie in our AAI group now. Thank you so very much GEMY for sharing the link to her.
Kerri- we suggested the same with the no collar and complete stillness i think she is at the vet today for full evaluation (on UK time)
Prayers up please for Alfie.
I will ask Donna to update- or an aai member- as soon as results are in. Thank you.
Ps. Smooches to Wyatt.

Oh my...just seeing this thread. I will keep Alfie and Donna in my thoughts and prayers.

OMgosh, this just breaks my heart for these little ones. I have a thread--Zhoie has a neuro appt on 10/29, Please read it and then PM me if you have any questions, I will offer all I can.
Zhoie had surgery on 12/1 at North Carolina State Univ. and is now in now in the recovery period. We are praying for a good recovery after 12wks of confinement.
I have to tell you look for a Univ, they are top knotch. I sent an email to PHD at Univ to inquire on surgery, Zhoie was 4.5 at the time. Her response yes, they usually perform surgery on pups have her size, and she means puppies. Zhoie will be 3 in Jan, she is oldest one they have ever worked on for AAI, it's usally found much earlier bu clinical signs. They have had wonderful suceess with ones that have had paraylsis signs even.
I was told, brace is never really an options for success, if you choose to not do surgery, they will try that alternative as to nothing at all. This is a very painful and life threatening condition.
Please feel free to PM if you have any questions. Send me your email and I will forward the top 10 vet schools in the US.

Sending prayers for you little one, bless his heart.

Alfie update anyone?

Prayers are still being sent.

Do we have an update on Pam and Jake?

I Looked up some links for the United Kingdom for specialist. I hope they help. Sending prayers for Alfie.
Dorsal cross pinning of the atlantoaxial joint: new surgical technique for atlantoaxial subluxation
Jeffery, N.D. (Animal Health Trust, PO Box 5, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 7DW (United Kingdom))


Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, UK. aparry@rvc.ac.uk

Royal Veterinary College (RVC) staff: Chris Lamb


Atlantoaxial joint: subluxation | Vetstream

Mr Harry Scott BVSc MIBiol CertSAD DSAS(Orth) FRCVS RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Orthopaedics
Dr Rodney Bagley DVM DipACVIM

Continuing prayes for baby Alfie.

Please help me
 

Please someone help me alfie is not doing to good and i dont know what to do. After his first op for aal everything was going ok then in the 4 week the wire snapped in his neck his has had a secound op but he is not recovering as well not moving at all i am at my wits end i am rubbing his legs all the time and trying to get them moving. all he is doing is laying there please help me donna

Donna! What happened??? I thought Alfie was doing better yesterday! Keep Alfie still until you can get back to the vet for thorough eval again. Keep us posted.