Stray Dog Heals Homeless Dog’s Seizures
Blair the Labrador leads Tanner along on his walk
When Tanner’s person died, the golden retriever’s health problems got much worse. Tanner was already blind; now he started having seizures. And he would lose control of his bladder and bowel when they happened, which meant needing a bath at any time of day or night. That didn’t help his adoption prospects at the Woodland West Animal Hospital in Tulsa, Okla. Veterinarian Dr. Mike Jones said he was seriously consideration euthanasia.
“His seizure disorder was really, really bad and nothing – no medications – seemed to be helping,” Jones said. “Anytime he seizes he expresses his bowels. It’s a nightmare anytime you have a 90-pound dog experiencing this nightly; it made living in a home very, very difficult.”
Then another dog arrived at the hospital.
Blair was a year-old black Labrador who was brought to the hospital after she’d been found, shot, on the street. After she’d recovered, she remained nervous and high-strung from her ordeal.
One day, when the two dogs happened to be in the yard together, something happened.
“They were exercising in a play yard together and they got together,” Jones said. “Blair all of a sudden seemed to realize that Tanner was blind and just started to help him around.”
The staff at the hospital started keeping the two dogs together. And then the miracle happened.
“After two or three weeks, we realized Tanner wasn’t seizing anymore,” Jones said. “He’s not completely seizure free but it’s not constant anymore.
Jones says it’s the first time he’s seen anything like this.
“They absolutely have to be adopted together,” he said. “But it’s going to take a special home with someone who understands their special relationship plus understands seizure disorder and is ready to take on the responsibility.”
Here’s a video from Tulsa’s Channel 8 TV:
