Hi, I’m Karl’s mom.
It all started one night in late December, around 1 a.m. I woke up to a loud, jarring sound. Karl was thrashing against the wall with his legs. I knew what was happening immediately. I pulled him away from the wall so he wouldn’t hit his head. Almost at once, he started foaming at the mouth and gasping for air while his body convulsed uncontrollably. His legs were stiff and jerking, and his head was pulled back in a painful arch.
After a minute, I realized he wasn’t breathing anymore. He was still thrashing, but the gasping had stopped. My husband leaned down and started blowing gently on his face, trying to trigger a breath, anything. The seconds stretched endlessly. Finally, after just over two minutes, the seizure ended as suddenly as it had begun.
Karl slumped onto the floor, motionless for a few heartbeats. Then, slowly, he looked up at us, dazed but awake, as if surprised to see us staring at him. Within moments, his tail started wagging. He was excited, happy even, like nothing had happened. He tried to get up and head for the door, wanting to go outside. He was shaky and unsteady but determined. Within minutes, he was nearly himself again.
I have some veterinary training and experience with animals, and I’ve seen seizures before. But I had never witnessed one that violent or terrifying. That night shook me deeply. Unfortunately, I’ve since seen worse. Much worse.