Help Peanut Walk Again - Emergency Spinal Surgery

Aim

Our sweet 10-month-old Chihuahua, Peanut, urgently needs emergency spinal surgery to correct Atlantoaxial Luxation (AA Luxation).

Help 10-Month-Old Peanut Get Life-Saving Spinal Surgery

Our sweet 10-month-old Chihuahua, Peanut, is due to have emergency surgery first thing tomorrow morning to correct Atlantoaxial Luxation (AA Luxation). This condition means the first two vertebrae in his neck are unstable, severely compressing his spinal cord.

Peanut is already partially paralysed, and the situation is incredibly critical. This complex spinal surgery carries high risks, and there is a heartbreaking chance he may not fully recover. Because nerves heal very slowly, we will not know the true outcome of the operation for several months. There is a real possibility that Peanut may need a wheelchair or other special adjustments to ensure he has a good quality of life. However, this emergency surgery is his only lifeline, and we are holding onto the hope that it will allow him to regain the function in his back legs.

Getting him to this point has already been an emotional, physical, and financial whirlwind. We have already spent hundreds of pounds rushing him between the emergency out-of-hours vets and our regular vets just to keep him stable while we waited for the earliest possible slot at the specialist university small animal hospital so he could finally be seen by the neurology team.

Compounding this crisis, I am unable to drive and have no family living locally to help us. Navigating these constant emergency trips and journeys to the specialist hospital without a car or a local support network has added an immense physical struggle and mounting transport costs to an already heartbreaking situation.

The estimated cost of the surgery and care he has received so far at the specialist hospital alone is £7,000, and we need additional financial assistance to cover his essential ongoing post-operative care, specialized imaging, transport back and forth for his checks, a wheelchair or mobility aids if needed, and intensive rehabilitation. While Peanut is insured, his policy maxes out at £5000 and will not cover the full amount required to save his life.

As a disabled individual living on a fixed, low income because I am unable to work, covering these astronomical veterinary bills on my own is impossible. Peanut is my absolute world, my constant companion, and at just 10 months old, he has his whole life ahead of him. I am reaching out to our community of pet lovers to ask for a helping hand to give my tiny boy a fighting chance.

How You Can Help Save Peanut

• Donate: Every single pound goes directly to Peanut's emergency surgery, specialized equipment, transport, and recovery fund. No amount is too small.

• Share: Please share Peanut's story on social media and with pet groups today. Sharing is completely free and multiplies our chances of getting him the care he needs.

• Send Hope: Please keep our tiny boy in your thoughts tomorrow morning as he goes into this high-risk procedure and starts the long road ahead.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your immense kindness, empathy, and support during the most terrifying time of our lives. I will share regular updates on Peanut’s surgery outcome and his progress.

UPDATE 1: We visited Peanut this evening to sign consent forms and go over the risks, complications and details of the surgery. This was very emotional for us. Here are some photos from this evening. 

UPDATE 2: His surgery was very long, but the vet just called and it went well! He tolerated the anaesthetic like a champ. They took some final images and are really happy with the screw placement. He is officially extubated, breathing entirely on his own, and resting as he wakes up from the anaesthesia. Such a huge relief! Thank you all for the love and prayers for our little guy. 

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 10th December 2026 at 9:01pm