Life saving surgery for Nugget.

Hello, I am fundraising for Nugget, he’s part of the Vosen Grumble and such a lively member! Nugget is only 1.5 years old and has Atlantoaxial Instability which causes pressure on his spinal cord. He has recently had an MRI and CT scan that show the pressure is worsening on his spinal cord and he needs surgery so the pressure doesn’t get to the point he can’t breath. We are raising money for him to have this surgery in two weeks. The coat is between 6-8k so anything you can donate helps.  Nugget has atlantoaxial instability. Atlanto-axial instability (or subluxation) is a condition that typically affects toy breed dogs (Yorkshire Terriers, Chihuahuas, etc.). The first two cervical vertebrae are unstable and compression of the spinal cord results from misalignment of the spinal canal. This typically causes pain and/or neurological dysfunction. The first vertebrae in the neck (C1) is called the "Atlas" and the second (C2) the "Axis". Normally these bones are joined together by multiple ligaments and a bony prominence from C2 called the Dens. Some toy breed dogs have a malformation of C1 and C2. Often the Dens is absent or malformed. This leads to abnormal stress on the ligaments between these two bones. Ultimately everyday activities place enough stress on the ligaments to cause a tear and a resulting luxation, which causes severe pain and sometimes neurological dysfunction. Options for treatment include a brace and rest with pain managment. The risk of not stabilizing the neck is that an injury could cause life threatening compresion of the spinal cord and Nugget might not be able to breath. Surgical reduction and stabilization using screws and bone cement is also a treatment option. The goal of surgery is to correct the abnormal movement and align the spinal column. This surgery has risks including, damage of the spinal cord which could result in death, weakness, infection, or failure of the implants. It is likely that Nugget has some degree of damage to the spinal cord from this condition. The goal of surgery is to 1. prevent worsening of his condition; 2. stop episodes of pain and 3. Improve his ability to walk. After surgery it is important to strictly confine him for 4-6 weeks, to allow the surgery site to heal.If you can spare anything to help with Nugget, it would be very much appreciated in this scary time. Nugget is loved by so many people. When he walks down the street, people just smile because he’s so damn cute. He brightens everyone’s day and it wouldn’t be right for him to leave this world early because of either a genetic factor or early abuse in his puppy days.