SAVANNAH, GA.....Dear Marty is the sweetest little Yorkie that we rescued a couple of months ago from Virginia. We are posting now because he had so many issues going on that we were not sure if we were going to be able to save him. He is three years old and weighs 5 pounds and looks like he is much older. Marty was rescued in Mississippi after being found abandoned in an apartment. He was emaciated, matted and flea-ridden when they found him. He was later adopted into a home in Virginia. It soon became very apparent after three weeks that Marty had some Neurological issues. The lameness in his leg was later determined to be neurological.
We were contacted after Marty started having lots of seizures and then became unconscious. The Family drove him down to us where his battery of tests and Specialists began. After an MRI had been done, it was determined that our sweet little boy had a condition called Caudal Occipital Malformation Syndrome with Syringohydromyelia and Cervical Scoliosis. He was born with an abnormally shaped skull that causes crowding at the base of his skull where spinal fluid would normally drain into his neck. This leads to a problem with flow of spinal fluid, similar to having your thumb over the end of a garden hose (caudal occipital malformation syndrome). With every heart beat, he has spinal fluid that comes through the hole at the base of his skull at a high flow rate. This leads to changes in the spinal cord and, over time, a fluid pocket begins to form within the tissue of his spinal cord (syringohydromyelia). This leads to abnormal sensations in people (chronic itching, burning, tingling, etc.) and in a lot of dogs. Sometimes, in severe cases, the vertebrae of the spinal cord will change secondary to the changes in the spinal cord and the pet will develop a lateral curve or bend to the vertebral column (scoliosis). Marty has all of these things. Before the surgery could be done, we had to reduce as much swelling as possible over the next four weeks.
Marty's Neurologist, Dr. Jason King did his surgery. Dr. King took the back of his skull off and create a new one from bone cement that will allow the spinal fluid to drain better. Hopefully, this will prevent the fluid pocket (syrinx) in his spinal cord from progressing. There is even the chance that the pocket will begin to resolve or go away.
It has been almost two months since Marty had his surgery, and I am happy to report that sweet Marty has done wonderfully. We have done extensive rehab to compensate for any deficit he had in the beginning. He has not had one seizure and is showing no signs of Neurological impairment at this time.
Marty came to us like a broken little pup that had a slim chance of surviving. He would have died without the surgery and suffered a horrible death. He is recovering from extensive dental surgery that we had to do. Most of his front teeth were rotten from lack of care and lots had to be removed. He still has plenty to eat with and will be back to normal over the next week. He can then be placed in a loving home to live a long, healthy Life never to be abandoned again.
Marty's bills are quite extensive given all of the surgeries and medical care he has received. Please, help us recoup his massive medical bills so we can help more pups like Marty.
We are now taking applications for this adorable little pup.
