For those of you who don't know me, my name is Lee Cahill and I am the Owner of The Bark Park & Patio in Florence, KY. If you've been out to see us at the park then you may or may not have met my Head of BARKeting, Banjo. He's a one and a half year old German Shorthaired Pointer. Now, if you have met him then the first thing you'd probably notice is that he is an absolute ball of energy that has no off switch. Or so we thought...
Yesterday morning, around 6:00am, my girlfriend and I were woken up by Banjo spasming and seizing in his bed. His legs were flailing and rattling his crate, jowls chomping, and foaming at the mouth (don't worry, he doesn't have rabies, we asked). I truly hope most of you who are reading this have never witnessed anyone having a seizure, canine or otherwise, because it was the most unholy thing I have ever witnessed. It was straight out of a horror movie where an evil spirit possesses the unsuspecting character with no priest in sight. All Abby and I could do was try to comfort him, keep him from hurting himself as much as possible, and praying it would end soon. After about an agonizing minute and a half it was finally over. He slowly started to come back to us and you could tell he was scared, unsteady, and most of all needed some help. I started calling around to different vets in town and explained the situation, hoping anyone could fit him that day, but, to no surprise, they were all booked. And that is when I found my saving grace.
PetVet365 in Florence, KY said they had a full day of appointments but they were going to see what they could do. After being on hold for only a few minutes the receptionist came back on the line and said if I could get Banjo there quickly they could squeeze him in. Abby and I loaded Banjo in the car and off we went. When we got there they took us straight back, we met with the vet on staff and she explained the different possible causes of canine seizures. We had blood work done to rule out any toxins Banjo may have accidentally gotten his paws into and thankfully everything came back clean. She then explained how this was most likely a genetic issue and that Banjo will most likely have to battle these the rest of his life. I immediately went to a dark place in my mind worrying about his quality of life if this was going to be an every day thing he had to battle. But the amazing vet at PetVet365 educated us on how treatable his condition is. What started out as one of the scariest mornings in recent memory turned into a big sigh of relief. Yes, I will always worry a little more about my Banjo Bug seizing up again, but I always think it is better to have a path forward than it is to be uncertain. And that is what PetVet365 gave me.
If you are between veterinarians or are shopping around, I cannot recommend them enough. Their facility is clean and inviting, they have an incredibly friendly and compassionate staff, and they will take the time to explain what is happening to your fur baby so that when you leave there, you leave feeling more at ease. Check them out and give them a call next time your furry friend isn't feeling all that great.