This is a very sad update for StoliDog.com

On Friday night Stoli had a seizure.

Sandra and I were watching TV when they heard a horrible moaning cry from the other room. We ran to the other room to see Stoli shaking on the couch and making noises of pain. She was foaming at the mouth and having a very difficult time breathing. Her eyes were bulging out of her head and her pupils were dilated.

She was obviously terrified because of what was going on. I tried to comfort her without getting too close because I knew she might bite me. As the seizure subsided I could tell she was aware of me. She was looking directly at me but still shaking and moaning.

As Sandra called the emergency vet, Stoli slowly came out of it. She looked scared but after a few moments she got up and moved closer to Sandra. As we both comforted her, the vet said to bring her in.

We took Stoli to the 24-hour Emergency vet and they examined her. They took blood and urine samples to be sent out for analysis. They did a neurological exam which showed no problems. We described what had happened and they recommended keeping Stoli overnight for observation. We discussed with the doctor what the possible causes could be. The test would most likely rule out Valley Fever and other diseases. The most likely cause was Epilepsy. After saying some tearful goodbyes, Sandra and I left Stoli in the good care of the doctors.

At 3 am we received the call that Stoli and had another seizure. They had injected her with Valium to help her with the seizure and were going to start administering Phenobarbital, an anti-epileptic drug. Obviously, she would need to stay in the hospital longer.

Neither Sandra nor I slept much that night.

On Saturday Sandra had to work but I went to visit Stoli. I brought her some biscuits, some Greenies (her favorite) and some chew toys. It was good to see her but she was a sad sight. She had and IV in her leg, was wearing a collar with bells on it (to make sound if she had another seizure) and had some dried blood on her fur. Although she looked upset I could tell she was very happy to see me. I took her for a little walk in the parking lot and she seemed as perky as ever.

The vet said she had not had another seizure and seemed to be doing well. They wanted to keep her under observation until she had gone at least 24 hours without another seizure. Again, I said my farewell and went back home.

Meanwhile Hobie had grown depressed. He missed Stoli and was just laying by the door all day waiting for her to come back. Even when in the backyard he just sat in the planter and stared far way.

Sunday afternoon we picked up Stoli. She looked much better. No more IV or bell collar. The Doctor thinks it is Epilepsy and has prescribed Phenobarbital. We are going to work with our regular Vet to make sure the medication is not harming her liver and to adjust the dosage as needed.

Emergency Care
We took Stoli to the Animal Referral & Emergency Center of Arizona. They took great care of her. We don't know what we would have done without them. They said she was a wonderful patient except when she chewed up the blanket they put in her kennel. :)

Upon arriving home Stoli and Hobie were very happy. They ran around with tails wagging for quite some time. After a while they settled in for some content naps.

We hope the medication will help control the seizures, but it is likely she will have them periodically. All we can do is make sure she is safe and doesn't hurt herself when it happens. We hope it all works out fine.

It is good to have her back home.

 

News Archives Checkout what Stoli's been up to. There are a lot of great stories and pictures. Read along with Stoli.