Author #FiveSibesMom & Her #FiveSibes
"When you live with Siberian Huskies, you always have a story to tell!"
Purple Day® Blog Hop is Here! Show Us Your Purple in Support of Those Living With Epilepsy
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Today is Purple Day® for Epilepsy and World Epilepsy Day™. As many of you loyal readers are aware, my Gibson was, is, and always will be my inspiration behind our FiveSibes #LiveGibStrong K-9 Epilepsy Awareness campaign and Canine Epilepsy advocacy.
What is Purple Day?
Here is a short video that will help explain it all...but know, it's credited to a 9-year-old girl named Cassidy Megan who wanted to have a special day for others like herself, who live with Epilepsy, to know that people around the world care, and there should be no stigmas or fear attached to Epilepsy. I whole-heartedly agree, and want to add the very same goes for our canine companions. Please take a moment and watch the video if you have not yet had the chance to view. And be sure to check out the end credits for a condensed list of Canine Epilepsy informational resources. (A more extensive list is in my book, EPIc Dog Tales).
Gibson, the Face of Canine Epilepsy & #LiveGibStrong K-9 Epilepsy Awareness Campaign
For my new readers, and to recap, Gibson was diagnosed
shortly after his third birthday in 2009. I have written much about our
journey together over the years, sharing our experiences, Gibson's
amazing determination and his constant rehab from side effects due to
the Epi-medications, as well as stories of other Epi-dogs, adoptable
Epi-dogs, and valuable information on seizures and Canine Epilepsy. My
beautiful wooly warrior boy who loved to talk, give me Gibbie kisses, do
the Gib hip-hop dance, and have an understanding and connection with me
second to none. Our bond was unbreakable. There was no road too rough
for him to travel, if I asked. He was feeling wonderful...just rehabbed
(again) from weak hind issues and a fall on the ice, and was back to
running and feeling good...and then one night, he collapsed. Not from
seizures, but rather from the sneaky beast called cancer.
Hemangiosarcoma to be exact. He fought gallantly for a week, with home
care and IVs, but when he went in for surgery on his bleeding spleen,
the cancer was discovered, and it metastasized, including a hidden orange sized tumor. So... my brave, beautiful, fluffy spirit guide, slipped peacefully on to his next journey. He will always be by my side, and as I always say, he is proof that dogs with Canine Epilepsy can and do live full, happy lives for however long we are blessed to have them. Gibson sure did.
Gibson inspired me every single day. I learned that when the going gets tough...keep going. Just like he did. I became an official Purple Day Ambassador in 2012, and joined The Wally Foundation as a volunteer case manager to help guide and support others who have dogs with seizures. He was the spark behind both of my books on Canine Epilepsy that I wanted to write to help others understand and not be afraid.
Through my books, the illustrated children's FiveSibes Tale, What's Wrong With Gibson? Learning About K-9 Epilepsy and my EPIc Dog Tales: Heartfelt Stories About Amazing Dogs Living & Loving Life With Canine Epilepsy (ArcticHouse Publishing), and our first benefit auction, we have raised over $3,200 for Canine Epilepsy research and assistance. Since I pay for all the work on my books myself, and for the publication, I am so proud that we were able to make these donations to day, and that is also thanks to all of you who helped support this cause by purchasing* the books!
*Books are available through ArcticHouse Publishing, with links to Amazon. Please always be sure on Amazon that the seller is ArcticHouse to be sure you have us! A portion of my books will always be donated to the Epil-K9 Foundation, home of the Epil-K9 List and Canine Epilepsy Resources, for the "Emma's Seizure Fund" at the North Carolina State University's College of Veterinary Medicine.
What Are We Doing For Purple Day?
A Blog Hop!
I am proud to announce that here at FiveSibes, in Gibson's honor I am hosting our 3rd Annual FiveSibes #LiveGibStrong K-9 Epilepsy Awareness Purple Day Blog Hop to promote awareness and help support both humans and canines (and horses, cats, and bunnies) who live with Epilepsy, and to let them know they are not alone in their journeys. I am pleased to pair up with co-hosts and fellow Epi-dog hu-moms, Kimberley Matchem and her handsome "Rolo" from Confessions of a Rescue Mom and Jeanaann Barnaby and beautiful "Olivia" from Knotty Toys for Good Dogs. Grab our badge down below, follow the linky directions below, and let's show the world our purple! The Blog Hop will stay open until 11:59 PM EST on March 31st, so spread the word!
A Radio Show!
Today, I am also taping the newest episode of my show "The Sibe Vibe" on Dog Works Radio and in honor of Purple Day, my guest is Margit Maxwell, trainer and canine behavior specialist for Siberian Huskies and Malamutes, and an Epi-dog parent. Margit is also the author of The Divine Dog Project on Facebook. We will be discussing the important correlation between zinc deficiency and seizures on today's show. You can tune in live HERE at 1 PM EST. If you can't join us live, I will be posting the permalink here after the show so you can check back and listen in at your convenience. It will also be available on iTunes under the Dog Works Radio family of shows.
A K9 Epilepsy Book Giveaway!
Also, in honor of Purple Day, you can have the opportunity to *win* a copy of my beautiful resource book, EPIc Dog Tales. Just pop over to Kings River Life Magazine, read my latest article, and at the end you can find out how you can enter to win a copy of this book every pet owner should have on their library shelf. For more details, please visit HERE. Instructions on how you can enter are at the end of the article. *Drawing is April 1*
Raising Funds to Help Epi-Dog Families!
And...don't forget about Gibson's namesake "Gibbie Snacks" from House Woof Dog Biscuits in Vermont. They were his favorite treat and were created by the chef and nursing masters at House Woof based on Gibson's diet and with the nutritional diet of the Epi-dog in mind.
No preservatives, salt (important for Epi-dogs who may be on Potassium Bromide), or rosemary - ever! Just organic ingredients such as beef puree, cooked green beans, carrots, sweet potatoes, fresh parsley, and oatmeal. Yum! And as if it couldn't get any better...House Woof donates $1/bag purchased to The Wally Foundation~Canine Epilepsy, a non-profit organization that offers possible financial assistance for much-needed medications to families, rescues, and fosters of Epi-dogs. To find out more about Gibbie Snacks, visit HERE.
And Co-Hosting a Facebook Event!
We'd love for you to share your Purple Day pics with us over on our Purple Day for Epilepsy 2017 Facebook event page HERE, also hosted by FiveSibes, Confessions of a Rescue Mom, and Knotty Toys for Good Dogs!
Our post in recognition of Purple Day appeared on our blog today. Thank you for all your efforts informing everyone about this event and especially for all the canine info to all Epi-warriors. ღ
FiveSibes #Flashback Photo ~ Gibson & His Purple Pumpkin ~ 2014 W oo! Or, should I say Booooo! It's that time of the year when pumpkin hunting and carving is fun thing to do! And, while we are all busy carving and displaying our artworks on the gourds, did you remember to make a purple pumpkin? "Woo! What's in my purple pumpkin? Treats?!" ~Gibson/FiveSibes A Purple pumpkin? What?! If you've been a FiveSibes follower, you know how important the color of purple is to us, and why Purple Pumpkins are a staple here.If you are new to us here at FiveSibes, I initially joined in the Purple Pumpkin Project because we made our pumpkin purple for my Epi-dog Gibson. So, you might be asking yourself, Why was Gibson's pumpkin purple? For Canine Epilepsy Awareness! You can read more about it in our video further down in this post, or by visiting a previous explanatory post HERE. Follow the Purple Pumpkin Project on Facebook! In a pumpkin shell—as many of y
*Updated March 2022 Our Vet-Approved FiveSibes #LiveGibStrong "Cooling Down an Epi-Dog: Where Do I Put Cold Packs?" Informational Poster Poster Is A Great Resource for: ✔︎ Veterinarian Offices ✔︎ Vet ER Hospitals ✔︎ Rescues & Shelters ✔︎ Dog Wardens & Animal Control Officers ✔︎ Trainers ✔︎ Groomers ✔︎ Dog Walkers ✔︎ Dog Parks ✔︎ Pet Supply Stores & Boutiques ✔︎ Dog Friendly Businesses ✔︎ Police Departments ✔︎ Fire Departments To request FREE* printed copies, simply send an Email with #Paws4Purple Materials in Subject line and what you'd like copies of and how many, to: Debra@AKFUS.org of the Purple Day® Every Day as Presented by The Anita Kaufmann Foundation For More Info on Canine Epilepsy, Please Visit Our #LiveGibStrong Online Library & Resource Page HERE. Here's a great tip, diagram and explanation from Tallgrass Acupuncture Institute as to why ice on certain acupressure points can be a relief for a dog with seizures and
Dewclaws. Such an unnecessary evil for a dog. In August, I noticed Harley limping. At 11-and-a-half, she is a bit stiff-legged at times from arthritis, but this was a more pronounced limp and she was having an extra tough time sitting down. She seemed very uncomfortable. She was also becoming a bit snarley, especially when I was touching her paw, which is something that never typically bothers her. Upon further checking, I noticed an odd lump around her dewclaw on her right leg, thinking it was possibly a pulled dewclaw, maybe a splinter, thistle, or even a bee sting , she became extremely agitated when I touched it. (Warning: some photos may be somewhat graphic, but I am sharing for educational purposes). Oddity beneath the dew claw. Off to the vet we went. At the vet, Harley is protective of her paw by hiding it . Harley's paw was shaved and it uncovered a very large inflamed area surrounding the dewclaw and beyond, as you can see in the below photo
Original photo by and courtesy of Lisa Byrd; modified by FiveSibes The Rainbow Bridge must be some (p)awesome place to be for it has so many amazing, beautiful angel animals there. My beloved Gibson is there. As is my Chelsey, Sandy, kitty Smokie, bunny Sunny, my fox Ah, many horses, and so many others pets. We have many furfriends who have also crossed The Rainbow Bridge. All of these beloved animals are there...so healthy and happy, with all the dogs enjoying their zoomies and playing Fetch all day in a land that is eternally beautiful. Sounds perfect. Only catch is when our devoted companions are there, we can no longer physically be with them. So while they are in a place where the spirit soars, our hearts are broken as we are missing them here with us. It is a hurt we all as pet parents now way too well. And today, as unbelievable as it seems as I write this, we have to bid a final farewell to another dear furpal, Buddy, the Christmas Husky , who has now earned his w
Born on March 10, 2005, our beautiful alpha queen, pupster surrogate momma, and my daughter's and our first Siberian Husky, turns 14½ today! You may be wondering why are we celebrating her half birthday? Because, as heartbreaking as it is, we now know she will not be here in March to celebrate her 15th Birthday as I once had hoped. Heartfelt thanks to Ann at Zoolatry for this beautiful badge. Thank you all who are sharing it and joining paws for our girl. As amazing and strong as our queen has been, and how proud I have been of how she still could outrun Pupsters Wolf and Bandit, still splash in her pool like a puppy, tear up a dog bed like there's no tomorrow, and chase her tail until the sun sets, our beloved Husky leader has also been dealing with health issues that we have been treating, but are now slowing her down and, heartbreakingly we are preparing ourselves for her journey, that we as pet parents all dread, to the Rainbow Bridge. “Dogs' lives a
Thank you for continuing to spread awareness to this great cause!
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by and supporting Purple Day! <3
DeleteYou and Angel Gibson sure started quite the movement to get rid of this evil disease.
ReplyDeleteI sure hope so! And I hope the movement continues strongly until one day we hear the words, "We found a cure!" Thank you, Brian, for all your support.
DeleteOur post in recognition of Purple Day appeared on our blog today. Thank you for all your efforts informing everyone about this event and especially for all the canine info to all Epi-warriors. ღ
ReplyDeleteMom still has a hard time thinking about sweet Ciara. We hope one day no human or furry has to endure the horror of a seizure.
ReplyDeleteWoos - Lightning and Misty
So nice to see the pictures of Gibson today. What a beautiful boy ... We are proud to be participating in #purpleday!
ReplyDeleteThank you for spreading awareness, I have learnt a lot from you and really appreciate it
ReplyDelete