This email was sent to me recently from Val, a Mainer with a Yorkie with special needs. After reading her story and responding to her, I felt that this information has great value and every one should have a chance to read it. With her permission, here it is:
I have a 3 year old Yorkie that is a special needs pup. I try and do a lot of research on Yorkies due to the things I have gone through with my little guy Babybear. Babybear broke his neck a little over a year ago. At this time he is still not able to walk, but we work on that every day. I do everything for him, his water therapy, Physical therapy and massage therapy. He even goes for acupuncture. He is my special little guy.
He was born with a congenital defect in his neck called Atlantoaxial Instability (AAI for short) not many vets pick up on this defect. Unfortunately I have found a few Yorkie pup owners that have had the same problem, but luckily they have been diagnosed before the neck broke. I guess what my question is have you seen or heard of this congenital defect? I have written to other breeders and never get a response back from them. So it makes me wonder if they really do all the research.
I someday would love to buy another Yorkie. At this point I am not sure if I want a pup or a special needs Yorkie that someone didn't want. My heart really goes out to these little guys and they just melt my heart.
I was very stupid when I got Babybear I looked and looked for a yorkie pup and found one lady near me that had one. She said it had worms and that she would take 50.00 off if I took it before it was wormed. I wouldn't think of it. So I did the next stupidest thing and went to a pet shop fell in love and bought my Babybear.
I look at it this way. He is the love of my life so I guess it wasn't stupid. And also if someone else had him right now they would most likely of put him to sleep. Well actually he probably would not be alive anyway. The only reason he is here now is because my husband gave him mouth to mouth all the way to the vets the day he jumped off my lap and broke his neck. His tongue was completely blue and he had lost all his urine and stool all over my hubby. That day at the vets they did everything for Babybear. X-rays, blood work, etc. They told us he had liver shunts. The X-rays did not show any broken neck. Well we were told to take him to the ER for the weekend because they did not think he would make it through.
I stayed up with him for 4 days straight. Monday morning I called a new ER in Brentwood NH and took him right in. The vet on duty(owner of the hospital) asked for Babybear's X-rays. Well with lack of sleep I forgot to get anything like that from my vet. So the ER vet asked if he could do more because he did not believe Babybear had liver shunts but he had AAI. His words a very bad broken neck. Babybear was paralyzed could not move his legs at all.. ER vet came back to tell me that Babybear's neck was so bad he was internally decapitated. Wanted to know how I had kept him alive at home since Saturday. I told him plenty of TLC. He told me he could do surgery on Babybear because neurologically Babybear was fine. He gave Babybear a 85 to 90% chance of walking again. He told me the price of surgery. Man, didn't know if I could raise that kind of money. Well, they want at least half up front. I didn't have that. Surgery was $3700.00. I asked if I could take him home with me and see if we could raise the money. He said yes but to continue doing what I had been doing. I told him I sure would.
Well, we got the money together and I brought him back on Tuesday they did surgery on Wed. That was August 2 of last year. Babybear can stand he walks a little 1 to 1 and a half steps he crosses his front paws so he trips. He has two carts hate them both. Like I said before I do all his therapies. This is why hubby is so scared of getting another Yorkie and this is why I said if someone else would have bought him that day he would not be alive.
Babybear is my life and my husbands life. He is never left alone. If we need to go someplace where we can not take him we hire my son or my daughter(adults) to baby sit him. He is more spoiled then my children were and they will tell you so.
Babybear and I are hoping to get the word out on furbabies with AAI (Atlantoaxial Instability). We hope you will share our story.
You can also check out my myspace page that is the second link on here.congenitaldogs : Hereditary /congenital diseases in dogshttp://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=182769093 groups.myspace.com/mightypupshttp://www.dogster.com/dogs/136060
I have a 3 year old Yorkie that is a special needs pup. I try and do a lot of research on Yorkies due to the things I have gone through with my little guy Babybear. Babybear broke his neck a little over a year ago. At this time he is still not able to walk, but we work on that every day. I do everything for him, his water therapy, Physical therapy and massage therapy. He even goes for acupuncture. He is my special little guy.
He was born with a congenital defect in his neck called Atlantoaxial Instability (AAI for short) not many vets pick up on this defect. Unfortunately I have found a few Yorkie pup owners that have had the same problem, but luckily they have been diagnosed before the neck broke. I guess what my question is have you seen or heard of this congenital defect? I have written to other breeders and never get a response back from them. So it makes me wonder if they really do all the research.
I someday would love to buy another Yorkie. At this point I am not sure if I want a pup or a special needs Yorkie that someone didn't want. My heart really goes out to these little guys and they just melt my heart.
I was very stupid when I got Babybear I looked and looked for a yorkie pup and found one lady near me that had one. She said it had worms and that she would take 50.00 off if I took it before it was wormed. I wouldn't think of it. So I did the next stupidest thing and went to a pet shop fell in love and bought my Babybear.
I look at it this way. He is the love of my life so I guess it wasn't stupid. And also if someone else had him right now they would most likely of put him to sleep. Well actually he probably would not be alive anyway. The only reason he is here now is because my husband gave him mouth to mouth all the way to the vets the day he jumped off my lap and broke his neck. His tongue was completely blue and he had lost all his urine and stool all over my hubby. That day at the vets they did everything for Babybear. X-rays, blood work, etc. They told us he had liver shunts. The X-rays did not show any broken neck. Well we were told to take him to the ER for the weekend because they did not think he would make it through.
I stayed up with him for 4 days straight. Monday morning I called a new ER in Brentwood NH and took him right in. The vet on duty(owner of the hospital) asked for Babybear's X-rays. Well with lack of sleep I forgot to get anything like that from my vet. So the ER vet asked if he could do more because he did not believe Babybear had liver shunts but he had AAI. His words a very bad broken neck. Babybear was paralyzed could not move his legs at all.. ER vet came back to tell me that Babybear's neck was so bad he was internally decapitated. Wanted to know how I had kept him alive at home since Saturday. I told him plenty of TLC. He told me he could do surgery on Babybear because neurologically Babybear was fine. He gave Babybear a 85 to 90% chance of walking again. He told me the price of surgery. Man, didn't know if I could raise that kind of money. Well, they want at least half up front. I didn't have that. Surgery was $3700.00. I asked if I could take him home with me and see if we could raise the money. He said yes but to continue doing what I had been doing. I told him I sure would.
Well, we got the money together and I brought him back on Tuesday they did surgery on Wed. That was August 2 of last year. Babybear can stand he walks a little 1 to 1 and a half steps he crosses his front paws so he trips. He has two carts hate them both. Like I said before I do all his therapies. This is why hubby is so scared of getting another Yorkie and this is why I said if someone else would have bought him that day he would not be alive.
Babybear is my life and my husbands life. He is never left alone. If we need to go someplace where we can not take him we hire my son or my daughter(adults) to baby sit him. He is more spoiled then my children were and they will tell you so.
Babybear and I are hoping to get the word out on furbabies with AAI (Atlantoaxial Instability). We hope you will share our story.
You can also check out my myspace page that is the second link on here.congenitaldogs : Hereditary /congenital diseases in dogshttp://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=182769093 groups.myspace.com/mightypupshttp://www.dogster.com/dogs/136060
1 comment:
Hi babyBears Momma- 2 days ago my yorkie gizzi became paralyzed in his hind legs; we are 2 days into steroids and no difference, and i have been told back surgery wioll cure him; i lost my job before christmas after 8 years with the company, and my hubby's job was impacted this week-we cannot pay 3500 for back surgery; im bawling as i write you-where do i go for help; i will go back to vet in morning after praying all night the steroids work-but i know the truth; i cannot stand not getting him surgery; we live in knoxville tn area; any ideas where i can get help...this is killing my heart; last year we had 4 family deaths and gizmo never leaves my side; he layed with me every day recovering from a shyterectomy-he brings so much joy to this family; he had hurt his back trying to jump in our truck and stow away to bible school with us this summer-but he recovered; and vet said yesterday, this is just something bound to happen...please help me; my heart is breaking..
Susan Ruggiero
sznruggiero@yahoo.com
Post a Comment