At the end of February 2007 I ran into an acquaintance who asked whether the director of the Benson Animal Shelter had reached me about two deaf puppies needing foster care. Since he hadn’t, I called him and he met with me within a half hour at the shelter.
Two white and red balls of fur, Aussie mix puppies, bounded toward me. They were about 5 weeks old; Henry weighed 4.5 pounds, Murphy weighed 8. In addition to being deaf, the boys had obvious sight problems. These pups were the product of breeding a Merle (splotchy-type Aussie or Cattle Dog) to another Merle; their problems caused by a weak gene.
The pups had been found almost a week earlier, an hour apart, on the west side of the San Pedro River outside Benson Arizona. Murphy was brought to All Creatures Veterinary Hospital in town. Henry, picked up by another Good Samaritan, was dropped off the Benson Shelter. When Paul and Dr. Nancy spoke, it became apparent that these two could be related, so Murphy was taken to the Shelter. The two crying puppies settled down as soon as they were back together. Paul immediately sent out volunteers to comb the area where the puppies had been found, but no others were located.
Henry, the smaller of the two, was fragile and Paul was not sure whether he would survive. By the time I met them, both were active, rapidly growing and putting on weight.
Within days of the boys arrival at The Oasis, Paul signed them over to the Sanctuary. Paul felt the abandonment of these pups was especially cruel as they could not hear any predators or cars. He said he would have taken them into the Shelter without question had they been dropped off.
At 4 months old, in addition to being deaf and vision difficulties (Henry’s sight was limited to limited to about 20 feet) they began to have had epileptic seizures. Due to their limited world, the two were extraordinarily bonded and dependant on one another. Even with their obvious difficulties both were doing remarkably well and weighed over 30 pounds each. They were learning a few simple hand signals such as “sit” and “come.”
I began doing Internet research as soon as the two little ones came into my life. There are wonderful websites with information on deaf, epileptic and sight impaired dogs.
Murphy and Henry had no idea that anything should be different in their world and were adjusting to their lives….
Within a year the two boys had grown up and have become absolutely incredible dogs. Henry’s problems, however, continued, while Murphy became more and more normative….
During the first year, Murphy had 5 or 6 seizures. While “grand mal” type (loss of bladder etc control, as well as major convulsions) they did not seem to last as long as Henry’s. Henry went through a period where he would have severe seizures anywhere from once a week to every ten days…and they would occasionally come in series.
I went to several websites including www.deafdogs.org and got as much information as I could on these deaf-blind Aussies (popularly referred to as “Lethal Whites.” ) But there were no real solutions provided for epilepsy other than serious medications such a Phenobarbital which had long term and potentially fatal side effects.
I did learn, however, that natural Vanilla ice cream, warmed to room temperature, would help the dogs after seizures by raising their blood sugar levels which would be depleted by the convulsions.
I continued to do Internet research.
Henry, Murphy and I took a trip up to Phoenix to a Veterinarian who had familiarity with epileptic dogs. I brought along the bloodwork that that had been done by our Veterinarian in Benson. After review the Phoenix Veterinarian agreed with the Benson doctor that the dogs had low blood sugar….but his suggestion for trying to control the seizures was surprisingly simple: 1 or 2 cc’s of KARO (corn) syrup twice a day.
Murphy’s seizures disappeared immediately. Henry’s seizures slowed down to once a month or 6 weeks. At about 8 months of age I stopped giving Murphy the KARO syrup and he remained seizure-free. Henry stayed on the KARO syrup, but I cut it back to once a day and by the time he was a year old his seizures had stopped as well.
It had been at least 6 months since Henry had a seizure, and several months ago I stopped giving him his sweet “medication.” And for a while he continued to remain seizure free…
Murphy became quite independent. He would run around my home property with the other dogs and Murphy found his way all the way over to the Sanctuary office, about ¼ mile away down the dirt driveway.
Henry remained more cautious. Although he would follow Murphy around and rough house with all the dogs, he would stop and try to find me. I began to believe his sight was slowly failing. When I would wave or gesture madly, if he was more than 10 feet away, unless the wind were blowing in his direction and he could sense me that way, he definitely remained at a disadvantage.
However, I discovered that there are odd advantages to having deaf dogs. They focus on me more and respond to simple hand signals. And since it is useless, there is no yelling involved. Also, they are not fearful of thunder, gunshots or the vacuum cleaner…
While Murphy remained seizure-free, after almost a year without seizures, Henry began having major seizures again which came in clusters.
I felt that it was time to try heavier drugs and called my local Veterinarian for a prescription for Phenobarbitol. I began him on 32.4 mg twice a day. And it appeared to work…for a few months. Then we added 1000 mg Potassium Bromide at night…
I must digress here…
Henry is my “familiar”…he and I share a strong connection not always felt between any two living beings. I had a connection like this with Beemer, a cat who lived with me for 13 years. With Henry, both he and I become anxious…for different reasons, no doubt, when we are apart. I work that we may have a seizure. He just needs the stability of my presence.
Henry began traveling with me as his seizures started up again. He, and a carrying case of medications and supplements, would ride up to Phoenix with me. We went to Las Vegas together for an Expo…at which he was a “star.” He comes to work with me daily, sleeping under my desk.
Henry became the amazing-deaf-mostly-blind-epileptic…and now farting…dog.
I was warned that the Potassium Bromide would make him gaseous.
Henry can clear out a room.
The seizures continued. Henry’s sight declined. Now he seemed to only see within a 6 feet radius of where he would stand.
I took Henry to see a Veterinary Neurologist in Phoenix.
I really liked the Neurologist. She liked Henry…saying he was the nicest Deaf dog she had recently met…that all too many were rough, rowdy or nippy. She drew blood. She adjusted medications. Ultimately we upped the Phenobarb to 64.8 mg, and then upped the Phenobarb to 97.2 mg morning and night with a mid-afternoon dose as well. Even with the adjustments, every month like clockwork at the full moon his seizures would continue. Clusters of them, one after the other often spaced 4 or 6 hours apart. I would inject him with Diazapam (liquid Valium) and it would help…briefly. During the most recent of his bouts, the seizures continued for three and a half days. At one point Henry alerted me to his seizure in the kitchen when I heard a loud thud as his head hit the stove.
It has been hard to watch. All I want is a quality of life for him.
I have gone back and re-read articles I read two years ago. I have researched more. I sit with baited breath waiting for the other shoe to drop.
The medications he is on have made Henry gain abnormal amounts of weight. While Murphy remains puppy-ish, most people who meet Henry believe him to be an elderly…or at least older…dog.
My 15 year old Pup-Pup sleeps 18 hours a day.
Sadly, I watch Henry do the same.