Rocky's Story

I had my racing career cut short because I had a seizure during a race. I was extremely lucky because the very special people at Greyhound Options took me in and placed me in one of their great foster homes. This was in the early spring of 2004 a little while before the Greyhound Options spring reunion. It was at this event that I met my daddy and mommy. My daddy knew I had to come live with them, even though I had seizures and other medical problems. I was living with my new family for about six months when my mommy read an article about medical problems in greyhounds and how hypothyroidism can cause seizures. So they had me checked, and low and behold my thyroid level was way below normal. I was started on thyroid medication.

Brothers Rocky & Mickey

Once my levels were normal I was slowly taken off my seizure med's, and I did not have any seizures for a while. About two an half months later when I was really scared and stressed out during a storm I had a mild seizure. I had this happen two more times over the next six months when I was really scared because of sudden loud noise. This past August my daddy and mommy had taken me and my four legged sisters to the puppy playground, and I went into a seizure there. I started to come out of it and then went right into another seizure. It was at this point my daddy and mommy decided it might be best to get me home while they waited for my vet to call back. My mommy rode in the back with me while my very special friend Ken drove the car and my Daddy and another special friend drove my four legged sisters home.Once I was home I continued to go in and out of seizures. My daddy and mommy decided it might be best to bring me to Angell Animal Hospital instead of waiting for my vet to call back.

So my mommy called to let them know I was being brought in seizing. My mommy tells me about half way there she got really scared that I was not going to make it and she called the hospital again so they could have staff meet us at the car. Once we arrived at the hospital, the staff come out to the car and took me by stretcher into ICU, and had my mommy and daddy fill out papers. After they worked on me for a while, the vet (Dr. Pace) went to talk with my daddy and mommy and told them I was in a coma, my temp was 106 and I was going into this thing called DIC were my blood would stop clotting and I would bleed to death if they could not reverse it. My daddy and mommy told them not to give up on me and do everything they needed to do to save me. My mommy then called my foster mommy to let her know what was happening and see if she wanted to come see me just in case I did not make it . When the vet had me a little more stable, the let my daddy and mommy come in to see me. At this point I was still in a coma, but I remember my mommy whispering in my ear to fight to come back. Then the vet asked my daddy and mommy to go out to the waiting room. I was really scared and wanted my mommy to come back, so I fought really hard to wake up.

Gypsy

Then I heard my mommy's voice again and this time I could also hear my foster mommy's voice, so i fought even harder to open my eyes and there was both of them standing next to me. It was at this point I knew they would make sure everything possible would be done so I would come though this thing. Mommy also told me later that my foster daddy Stan came to see me but they would not let him in to see me because visiting hours were over and they needed to get me settled for the night. I had to stay in the hospital that night and the next night Dr. Pace told my daddy and mommy they could take me home but I would need to be seen by a neurologist at Tuft's for a muscle and nerve biopsy, EMG, and possible a brain CT or MRI to find out what was really causing my seizures.

It is the morning of November 3,2005 and today is the day I’m going to see the neurologist at Tuft’s Veterinary School. I have not had another one of those episodes since August, but my mommy and daddy have been giving me a medication called Phenobarbital which makes me feel drugged out all the time. I think my mommy is really scared about what they might find out at this appointment, but is trying really hard to make me think this is going to be a fun trip. I also heard mommy tell daddy that the appointment would probably last 2-3 hours, which is making my doggy brain work over time thinking of all the bad things that could happen. . I love going for rides in daddy’s truck, but the ride to Tuft’s was long (mommy said it took about 2hrs), and mostly boring except the last part, after we got off the highway.

Lisa

Daddy opened his window so I could stick my head out, and oh boy you would not believe all the new scents I could smell. When we arrived, it did not seem like that big or bad of a place, there is a lot of other animals and people in what mommy said was the waiting room. After what seemed like forever, A women called my name and we got up and followed her into a smaller room where she asked mommy and daddy all sorts of things about me. Then this women left and came back a few minutes later with a man who said his name was Dr. Levitin. He asked a few more questions, then had me do all sorts of different things, such as walk on just my front legs, walk backwards, run and stop. He also poked me all over, flashed a light in my eyes, and used this thing to hit near all my joints, that made me jump (mommy said they were checking my reflexes, whatever those are). I still do not understand why the doctor wrote down my back with a pencil,

mommy said it was to check my nerves, which at this point are starting to get very thin.After they finished checking me over completely and sticking me with a needle to take blood, Dr Levitin went over his findings, and recommended I have an EEG and muscle biopsy. Mommy seemed to understand what Dr. Levitin was talking about, but it all seems very scary to me, especially when he said I would need to spend at least one night there in ICU, after the procedures. I think both mommy and daddy were also afraid even though they were trying not to let on how they felt. We had to wait for my discharge papers and to set-up arrangements to come back for the EEG and muscle biopsy.

Sawgus

Rocky, Mickey, Gemi

So while mommy waited daddy took me for a walk, which was fun. The ride home was long and quiet, but that night I could hear mommy and daddy talking about what Dr. Levitin told them and my next appointment, which is making more afraid. I don’t know where this past month went, but it’s the morning of December 13, 2005 and today is the day I go to Tuft’s for my EEG and muscle biopsy. I am so hungry and thirst, mommy said I cannot have anything to eat or drink (mommy picked-up the water dish before she went to bed last night and daddy did not feed me this morning) because they would be giving me medicine to make me sleep, while they did the EEG and muscle biopsy. The ride to Tuft’s was just as long and boring as the first time, and this time daddy did not put his window down when we got off the highway, because he said it was to cold out.

Once we arrived at Tuft’s they took me from mommy and daddy, both of them gave me big hugs and lots of kisses, and told me they would be there when I woke-up. I was really afraid but then Dr. Levitin came into the room, patted my head, told me he would be there the whole time, and everything would be ok. Then next thing I knew I was waking-up in this room that reminded me of the room mommy called ICU at Angell Medical Center in Springfield, MA. I could hear people talking, and I felt really funny, kind of tired, but different. I kept trying to look around for mommy and daddy but I could not see or hear them. I started to get really scared, because they said they would be here when I woke-up. Then I heard a noise that sounded like my fire truck from home and it was mommy and daddy with a new fire truck for me. I am still a little afraid, but not as much now that I know mommy is here.

Rocky being carried

Gypsy

I know I am suppose to be daddy’s dog but at times like this I want mommy to make everything better, and she did just that by laying down next to me and patting me while I dozed on and off. After a while Dr. Levitin came in to talk with mommy and daddy, and told them I would need to stay overnight. Now I am really afraid, I don’t want to stay here overnight without mommy. I think mommy sensed I was getting really scared, and tried to make me feel better by telling me, her and daddy would be back as soon as they could tomorrow, and if Dr. Levitin said it was ok they would take me home. Mommy also told me she would call to check on me several times and if I was having any problems they would come right back, but it was better for me to stay, just in case I ended up having a reaction to

the medications they gave me to sleep while they did the EEG and muscle biopsy. After mommy and daddy left I slept for a while and when I first woke-up I was really afraid because I forgot where I was, but then I remembered I was at Tuft’s, and mommy and daddy would be back tomorrow. I could hear other dogs, and occasionally someone would check on me. This was probably one of the longest nights of my life, on several times one of the people would come over and pat me, and tell me my mommy had called again to check on how I was doing. In the morning, they finally feed me and it was regular dog food not the good raw stuff that mommy and daddy feed me, but I was so hungry I ate it anyways. Dr Levitin came in a little while after I ate, and said I was doing great and would be able to go home later this afternoon.

Rocky, Gemi, Lisa

Gemi

Now I feel better, I just have to wait for mommy and daddy to come pick me up later. They finally arrived after what seemed like days instead of a couple of hours, daddy stayed with me while mommy did my discharge stuff and then we were on our way home. Home sweet home, I can not wait to get home and see my four legged sisters, please don’t anyone tell them I missed them, they will never let me forget it. I heard mommy tell daddy on the way home they may not have the results from my tests for at least a couple of weeks.

Hi everyone, it is me Rocky Rock it is the morning of November 3, 2005 and today is the day I’m going to see the neurologist at Tuft’s Veterinary School. I have not had another one of those episodes since August, but my mommy and daddy have been giving me a medication called Phenobarbital which makes me feel drugged out all the time. I think my mommy is really scared about what they might find out at this appointment, but is trying really hard to make me think this is going to be a fun trip. I also heard mommy tell daddy that the appointment would probably last 2-3 hours, which is making my doggy brain work over time thinking of all the bad things that could happen. I love going for rides in daddy’s truck, but the ride to Tuft’s was long (mommy said it took about 2hrs), and mostly boring except the last part, after we got off the highway. Daddy opened his window so I could stick my head out, and oh boy you would not believe all the new scents I could smell. When we arrived, it did not seem like that big or bad of a place, there is a lot of other animals and people in what mommy said was the waiting room.

Up-Dates November 2005

Koda

Lisa

After what seemed like forever, a women called my name and we got up and followed her into a smaller room where she asked mommy and daddy all sorts of things about me. Then this woman left and came back a few minutes later with a man who said his name was Dr. Levitin. He asked a few more questions and then had me do all sorts of different things, such as walk on just my front legs, walk backwards, run and stop. He also poked me all over, flashed a light in my eyes, and used this thing to hit near all my joints, that made me jump (mommy said they were checking my reflexes, whatever those are). I still do not understand why the doctor wrote down my back with a pencil, mommy said it was to check my nerves, which at this point are starting to get very thin. After they finished checking me over completely and sticking me with a needle to take blood. Dr Levitin went over his findings, and recommended I have an EEG and muscle biopsy.

Mommy seemed to understand what Dr. Levitin was talking about, but it all seems very scary to me, especially when he said I would need to spend at least one night there in ICU, after the procedures. I think both mommy and daddy were also afraid even though they were trying not to let on how they felt. We had to wait for my discharge papers and to set-up arrangements to come back for the EEG and muscle biopsy. So while mommy waited daddy took me for a walk, which was fun. The ride home was long and quiet, but that night I could hear mommy and daddy talking about what Dr. Levitin told them and my next appointment, which is making me more afraid.

Rocky

December 2005

I don’t know where this past month went, but it’s the morning December 13, 2005
and today is the day I go to Tuft’s for my EEG and muscle biopsy. I am so hungry and thirsty, mommy said I cannot have anything to eat or drink (mommy picked-up the water dish before she went to bed last night and daddy did not feed me this morning) because they would be giving me medicine to make me sleep, while they did the EEG and muscle biopsy. The ride to Tuft’s was just as long and boring as the first time, and this time daddy did not put his window down when we got off the highway, because he said it was to cold out. Once we arrived at Tuft’s they took me from mommy and daddy, both of them gave me big hugs and lots of kisses, and told me they would be there when I woke-up. I was really afraid but then Dr. Levitin came into the room, patted my head, told me he would be there the whole time, and everything would be ok. Then next thing I knew I was waking-up in this room that reminded me of the room mommy called ICU at Angell Medical Center in Springfield, MA. I could hear people talking, and I felt really funny, kind of tired, but different. I kept trying to look around for mommy and daddy but I could not see or hear them.

Gemi

I started to get really scared, because they said they would be here when I woke-up. Then I heard a noise that sounded like my fire truck from home and it was mommy and daddy with a new fire truck for me. I am still a little afraid, but not as much now that I know mommy is here. I know I am suppose to be daddy’s dog but at times like this I want mommy to make everything better, and she did just that by laying down next to me and patting me while I dozed on and off. After a while Dr. Levitin came in to talk with mommy and daddy, and told them I would need to stay overnight. Now I am really afraid, I don’t want to stay here overnight without mommy. I think mommy sensed I was getting really scared, and tried to make me feel better by telling me, her and daddy would be back as soon as they could tomorrow, and if Dr. Levitin said it was ok they would take me home. Mommy also told me she would call to check on me several

Lisa & Mickey

Rocky

times and if I was having any problems they would come right back, but it was better for me to stay, just in case I ended up having a reaction to the medications they gave me to sleep while they did the EEG and muscle biopsy. After mommy and daddy left I slept for a while and when I first woke-up I was really afraid because I forgot where I was, but then I remembered I was at Tuft’s, and mommy and daddy would be back tomorrow. I could hear other dogs, and occasionally someone would check on me. This was probably one of the longest nights of my life, on several times one of the people would come over and pat me, and tell me my mommy had called again to check on how I was doing. In the morning, they finally feed me and it was regular dog food not the good raw stuff that mommy and daddy feed me,

but I was so hungry I ate it anyways. Dr Levitin came in a little while after I ate, and said I was doing great and would be able to go home later this afternoon. Now I feel better, I just have to wait for mommy and daddy to come pick me up later. They finally arrived after what seemed like days instead of a couple of hours, daddy stayed with me while mommy did my discharge stuff and then we were on our way home. Home sweet home, I can not wait to get home and see my four legged sisters, please don’t anyone tell them I missed them, they will never let me forget it. I heard mommy tell daddy on the way home they may not have the results from my tests for at least a couple of weeks.

Koda & Rocky

January 2006

Mommy just got off the phone with Dr Levitin and is telling daddy what the doctor had to say about the results of my tests. Mommy said something about the cause of my problems being due to my muscles not working the right way when I get worked-up or stressed out. She was also talking about some channels in my muscles that are suppose to remove some kind of acid so it does not build up, but because they are not working this acid stuff builds up and causes all my muscles to go into one big muscle spasm from the tip of my nose to the tip of my tail. Mommy also said Dr Levitin told her the disorder I have is called either exercise/stress induced malignant hyperthermia or Exertional Rhabdomyolysis and is more common in race horses, but has been seen in other breeds of dogs with very large muscular builds. Most of the stuff Mommy was saying about this disorder and how it was not really treatable, was stressing me out to the point

Rocky

that I was afraid I would have one of those things that up until now everyone called seizures. But then I heard Mommy say Dr. Levitin is recommending that my Phenobarbital be slowly stopped, because it will not do anything to stop or prevent the episodes caused by this disorder. I can not wait to be off this medication because it makes me feel so drugged out. Daddy asked mommy if the disorder I have is not treatable what does that mean. Mommy said it means there are no medications that prevent me from having episodes, but there are things we can do to decrease the amount and intensity of the episodes, such as keeping me calm, relaxed, and cool, which sounds ok to me instead of some medication that makes me feel out of it all the time. I started to space out and was not really paying attention to what

Koda & Gypsy

I don’t know were the past couple of months have gone, but I am now completely off of the Phenobarbital, and boy does it feel great, I don’t feel tired, sleepy, or drugged out all the time. I did have one very mild episode during a really bad storm about a week after I finished taking the Phenobarbital, which the doctors said might have been due to the med leaving my system. Mommy stayed with me during it talking calmly and wetting me with cool water, when it seemed like the episode was ending and I could swallow Mommy gave me this medication she called robaxin (methocarbamol) which made me very tired and sleepy, but I did not go back into another episode. Mommy has also been trying to find my littermates, she talked with the people at the Lincoln Greyhound park adoption center in RI were my Littermate brother was lasted listed as a racer. My mommy said they would put out the word that we were looking for him and would adopt him when his racing career was over.

April 2006

Rocky

Lisa

mommy and daddy were talking about until I heard mommy say something about my disorder being inherited and my littermates could also have the same disorder. This got me thinking back to when I was a puppy at the breeding farm with my brother and sister. Life was so different then, not a care in the world, my days were spent running and playing. It has been about two years since I last seen either of my littermates. I was just starting to wonder were they might be, when I heard mommy say something about my sister having been moved to the Gulf dog track in Texas and my brother was still racing at the Lincoln Dog Track in RI. I think mommy was reading my mind, because the next thing she said was she is going to start looking to see if she could arrange to adopt my littermates.

I have been doing great this month, but Mommy was gone for a whole week which kind of sucked. Daddy tried to make sure he did all the things that need to be done for me and my four legged sisters but it was not the same as when Mommy is here. Mommy called every night and told us she loved and missed us, but I heard her telling Daddy about all the racing greyhounds she is taking care at the kennel. Daddy explained it this way, Mommy is learning what goes into working as a kennel helper in a greyhound racing kennel, and she is going to spend the whole week working as a kennel helper. Daddy also said mommy was at the kennel I was at when I raced, I hope mommy is doing ok I miss her so much; I wish I could have gone with her. I wonder if Bill is still the Trainer at the kennel I really liked him, he was so nice and took such good care of me when I had that episode at the end of my last race. I wonder if mommy will ever bring me to see him now that she spent a week there, I doubt it because she will think it will be to stressful for me and I will have an episode, but maybe she would have him come here for a visit.

May 2006

Rocky

Mommy also called the track in Texas were my littermate sister had last raced in July 2005, but after speaking with several different people, she was told that know one knew when and were my sister (racing name Ziggurette) was adopted, but she was no longer racing. When Mommy and Daddy came home from Greyhound Options Spring Rreunion, Mommy said she spoke with the lady who brings the retired greys from the tracks to adoption groups and as soon as my littermate brother (racing name Naswurk, kennel name Mickey) finishes his racing career we can adopt him. I cannot wait to see my brother and spend the rest of are lives together.

June 2006

Mommy’s back home, but this month has not been that great. The weather started getting hot, which has caused me to have three of those episode things, two of which Mommy and Daddy had to rush me into the emergency veterinary for IV robaxin and fluids, but both times I was able to go home within a couple of hours.

Koda

This month has been even hotter then last month, even with two air conditioner running all the time it is still getting to hot for me and I have been having about one episode a week this month. I even went into an episode when both Mommy and Daddy at work, but Mommy came home and found me in the middle of the episode and rushed me to the emergency vet for IV Robaxin and fluids. When we got home Mommy told Daddy she was going to the store to buy another air conditioner so the house stayed cooler. I love it with the new air conditioner the house is now cooler most of the time, but my four legged sister Gemi hates it because she is older and does not like it cold. Mommy also called Tuft’s Veterinary School and set-up a follow-up appt, but she said I would be seeing a different doctor this time because Dr. Levitin finished his training and was no longer at the school.

July 2006

Mickey

August 2006

I have been doing about the same this month. I am really starting to hate the summer; I cannot do anything but sit in the house in air conditioning. My four legged sisters get to go to the park every Sunday for play group and I have to stay home. I think Mommy is starting to feel bad for me lately because she has been staying home with me on Sundays and taking me for walks later at night after it is dark on cooler nights, but every time I try to run in the backyard they make me stop. I had my follow up appt at Tuft’s on August 24th with Dr. Faissler and he asked Mommy and Daddy to video tape one of my episodes and to have a urine myoglobine level completed after one of my episodes, to confirm Dr. Levitin’s previous diagnoses, but agrees that is the mostly reason for my episodes. Dr. Faissler also said that Mommy and Daddy seem to be doing everything he would recommend for any animal with this disorder and to call him any time they had any question, and he would see all of us again once we had the video and lab results.

Rocky

The weather is finally starting to get a little cooler. I have not been having as many episodes lately which is great. Mommy has been letting me go to the park on Sundays for a little while, but she makes sure that I don’t run a lot or get worked-up, and if it seem like I am getting warm she puts me in the car with the air conditioner, which is better than sitting in the house while everyone else goes to the park. Also, I almost forgot but my littermate brother is now retired and living with us which great because now I am not the only male dog in the house. I have a lot to teach him about retirement and the world off the track, because he is afraid of everything. I over heard Mommy and Daddy talking that now with Mickey hear they were going to need to get a bigger vehicle so we can all fit. I hope they can find something soon, because now they are making us take turns when we go somewhere.

September 2006

Rocky & Lisa

October 2006

This month has been very busy for Daddy and Mommy Greyhound Options, Inc. has their Octoberfest is this month and they set-up a booth for Rocky Rock’s Feeding Stations Etc at this event. This is the business they started to help cover the cost of my vet bills. I feel really bad that I have this disorder and I wish I could do more to help them make the items we sell, than just lay at Mommy or Daddy’s feet while they are busy working, but I don’t have hands just four paws. Mommy says if it wasn’t for me they would never have met half of the nice people they now know or ever thought of starting a small business. Mommy and Daddy also tell me all the time I am worth every penny they have ever spent on me and would not change anything, which really makes me feel loved. I almost forgot Mommy and Daddy bought a bigger vehicle just for us to go place (used Yukon XL which they removed all the seats from except the two front ones ). The first nice weekend they had it we all went to the beach for the day, I had so

Rocky

much fun it was the first time I had ever seen the ocean and did not know that the water chases after you but if you turn and run at it, it moves away from you. My non greyhound four legged sister Koda was trying to explain this to us on the ride to the beach but none of us believed her until we seen it for areselves. My four legged sister Lisa was so happy and excited she could not control herself and ended up getting herself completely tangled around Daddy. So, Mommy ended up having to save both of them by taking Lisa for a walk by herself for a little while, until she could control herself. My littermate brother Mickey stayed really close to me the whole time we were on he beach, he is still not sure of this life off the track and all the new

Mickey & Gypsy

Gemi

noise and things, so he likes staying close by me, and if I am ok with something then he figures it must be all right. The ride home was very quiet because now with the new vehicle we could all stretch and sleep. I am still having the occasional episode but now they have been happening about 1-2 times a month and most of the time Mommy and Daddy have been able to bring me through the episodes at home without bring me into the emergency vet, but there have still been times that they have needed to bring me in to the emergency vet. They still have not gotten one of my episodes on video, because they are to busy making sure I am ok. They forget to grab the video camera which is sitting there ready to go at all times.

I am continuing to have about 1-2 episodes every month which is real upsetting my Mommy because she was hoping for my sake that with cooler weather my episodes would decrease. I think we are all getting better at handling the episodes because they have not had to bring me into the emergency vet as often, they still give me the robaxin and wet me down with cool water when I start feeling warm. I think just having Mommy there talking to me calmly really helps me to relax, and I agree with Mommy that I pick-up on Daddy’s stress level at times which makes my episodes worse sometimes. I also know that Daddy means well but he gets really scared that he is going to loose me during one of these episodes, which stresses him out, which then stresses me out. Daddy was able to get a small part of one of my episodes on video but

November 2006

Gypsy & Lisa

the lighting was too dark. Mommy did collect a urine sample after one of my episodes but the level was not that high so the doctor thinks it was to soon after the episode, so we wait for the next episode and try again.