November Epilepsy Awareness Month: Meet Epi-Star RUBY, the Therapy Dog

Epi-Star, Ruby

 

  

by Dorothy Wills-Raftery  

 

Along the 12 years of blogging, having a FiveSibes social media page (FiveSibes: Siberian Husky K9 News & Reviews on Facebook), and authoring books and articles about dogs living with Epilepsy, I have come to “meet” and know so many amazing people and their pets. 

 

As you know, my one Siberian Husky, Gibson, began having seizures shortly after his third birthday in 2009, and I was scared. And as I have written about (and in this month’s first Epi-Star story), when he had his first seizures (and you can read more from my journals on my online #LiveGibStrong K-9 Epilepsy Awareness Resource Library HERE), I knew nothing about Canine Epilepsy, and I walked in on him post-ictal, and thought I had lost him. I’m an advocate for dogs with Canine Epilepsy, also known as Epi-dogs, as they can live full wonderful lives, just like any dog who does not have epilepsy.  Gibson showed me that he could do so much, and that having epilepsy did not stop him. He loved life. I always said he had a “zest” for life, and he surely did. While he did initially have grand mal and cluster seizures (those was truly very scary)…and during the cluster seizures, he wound up in the ER hospital in the middle of the night, which was a horrible experience, one that still chills me to this day...he lived his life to the fullest, and with medications (and adjustments), supplements, nutritional/dietary and environmental changes, and holistic therapies (Reiki, massage, cold laser therapy, cool bed, etc.), Gibson lived the last seven years of his life seizure free. (There were set backs and medication side effects, but we kept that seizure monster, that threatened to come visit at times, at bay. And in the end, my warrior Gibson beat that horrible monster, and passed just short of 10 from hemangiosarcoma, not epilepsy).

 

As part of November’s Epilepsy Awareness Month, where here at FiveSibes, I highlight Canine Epilepsy Awareness and my #LiveGibStrong K9 Epilepsy Awareness and #Paws4Purple intiative, I will be sharing stories this month about some amazing Epi-dogs I have come to know. My Gibson was an Epi-Star, and we have come to know quite a few Epi-Stars over the years. Today…I want to highlight a very special Epi-dog and Canine Epilepsy advocate, and a dog and her Momma that I am lucky to have called friends…Ruby, the Therapy Dog.

 

Ruby and her mom, Jan, and I go way back.  I've said it before, and I'll say it again, some of my most valued friendships are with dear people I have not met in person, but have come to know thorugh our amazing Epi-dogs. Again, it’s many thanks to my beloved Gibson that I met so many wonderful Epi-dogs and families, and Ruby is one of them!

 

“The most important message about her life is to LIVE it to the fullest and share the positives." 

~ Jan, Ruby the Therapy Dog's Hu-Mom

 

Ruby, a beautiful Chesapeake Bay Retriever was amazing. Not only did Ruby battle the monster known as Canine Epilepsy, but she did not let that slow her down or stop her from doing what she loved, being a registered Pet Therapy dog with Pet Partners, and volunteer with Jack’s DOGs, as well as an honorary member of the Epilepsy Foundation Kids Crew! Knowing of her battles, and her desire to work and bring cheer to others, I dubbed her #RuBeStrong, because like most Epi-dogs I know, that is what she was. S-T-R-O-N-G. 

 

“The most important message about her life is to LIVE it to the fullest and share the positives," notes Ruby's hu-mom, Jan. "Life is short, but we each can make so much difference in this difficult world. She did it one person at a time and shared her love with more than 6,000 people in-person on her visits. Besides those she inspired on-line.  And to think some people told me to put her down when was diagnosed. I'm still hearing the positive stories. She gave hope to so many.”

 

A fantastic article in The Mighty written straight from the pup's mouth, Ruby! To read to it, simply click on the image above.

 

The following interview took place while sweet Ruby was still here working to help others so I kept it in it’s original present tense because even as a furangel, Ruby would want her life’s message to carry on:

 

According to Ruby’s hu-mom, Jan, “Ruby's not embarrassed or ashamed that she has epilepsy. She's not afraid that she may have a seizure when she's out in public. Her medicines make her dizzy and sick. Her seizures frighten her and make her muscles and joints sore.

But Ruby doesn't want you to feel sorry for her. She says: ‘Life is precious. Don't let a condition define you. Everyone is special, so get going and use your special gifts to share your story and live the best life you possibly can!’”

 

“Take each day as it comes. Fight hard. Rest…Enjoy each seizure-free day to the fullest. Keep waggin. Be kind and compassionate. Reach out. Imagine what (you) can do and do it.

 Stay positive.” 

 ~ Ruby the Therapy Dog & Hu-Mom

 

Here, in Ruby’s own words (with a little help from her hu-momma), is Ruby’s story in a timeline of her life:

 

“2012 – I was born some time that year. We're not sure when and I don't want to remember much. My first year was pretty awful. I don't like chickens, but I'll eat any eggs, corn, and seeds I can find. I'm scared to death of fireworks, gunfire, and other loud noises. I had two or three litters of puppies and hated going into a basement. You get the picture. So, I ran away.

 

2014 – Momma saw my picture on PetFinder as a stray, 18-month-old Chocolate Lab (I'm really a Chesapeake Bay Retriever) at a shelter. She just wasn't ready for a pup. A rescue club picked me up, put me in quarantine and then to a foster home. That's when momma applied to adopt a Lab. I kept looking for her for three months! The rescue sent her the same picture with the name “Reba.” I wanted a new name. The deal was sealed, and I became “Ruby.” Momm thought she'd made a mistake. I had severe separation anxiety, destroyed the house, and ran away several times.

 

2015 – I finally settled in enough to learn my lessons and became a Therapy Dog. But one month after I started visiting the hospital, I had my first grand mal seizure (GM) and three more the same month. I was about 2-1/2 years old. My vets tried several anti-seizure meds and the only thing that helped was Phenobartibal.

 

2016 – One year after my first seizure, I had to rush to ER for a week – toxic liver from the Pheno. The vets gave up and said I'd die without Phenobartibal, and it would kill me. Momma went to work with more research and found my neuro-vet! I have Idiopathic Epilepsy. Over the years, we've tried many Anti-Epilepsy Drugs (AEDs), acupuncture, special diets, Chinese herbs, supplements, aromatherapy, acupressure, and massages. Sometimes, they helped, but the GMs kept coming. So, we learned to live with Epilepsy and I make Therapy Dog visits whenever I can. We decided to use my visits to raise awareness about Epilepsy. Many people in Oncology, Geriatriacs, Hospice, Palliative Care, and Rehab are inspired and encouraged when they hear my story and see me happy to be there. The kids with Epilepsy are amazed that I'm just like them. I typically have several seizures every 9 to 12 days.

 

2018 – That was a banner year! My fur-siblings, Ariel Rose and Gryphon, and I, all got perfect scores on our Therapy Dog tests! And we made lots of visits.

 

 I love this series of photos Ru's hu-mom shared with me as it looks like Ru is really reading my book to kids!

 

2020 – As the GMs got more frequent at times, we tried other AEDs. That January, we tried a new one that works well for some dogs. It almost killed me. I had IMHA (Immune Mediated Hemolitic Anemia). I spent another week in ER while the vets suppressed my immune system, boosted my red cells, and changed my AEDs again. It took me about 6 months to fully recover. 

 

Despite all I've been through, I landed in the right place. Momma and I have learned a lot about Epilepsy and greet thousands of people every year. We joined a support group for people with Epilepsy and I became an honorary member of the National Kids Crew.

 

I couldn't make actual visits at times, especially during the COVID pandemic. So, I took to social media and Emails to keep reaching out. My neuro-vet now refers his patients, who are new to canine epilepsy, to us to share our experience.”

 

“Life is precious. Don't let a condition define you. Everyone is special, so get going and use your special gifts to share your story and live the best life you possibly can!”

~Ruby the Therapy Dog, via Hu-Mom, Jan

 

Even at 9 years of age, and with having new liver issues, Ruby still fought. According to Ruby and Jan, their “wonderful team of vets are working hard to keep me healthy and give me the best quality of life possible.” And Ruby still had more plans to continue on her work as a Therapy Dog and make more visits before she retired. And that is just what she did, proving yet again, Epi-dogs are truly amazing.

 

 💜 Epitome of a Therapy Dog 💜

 

I welcomed Ruby as a new co-host this past March to my Annual #FiveSibes @LiveGibStrong Purple Day® for Epilepsy Blog Hop/Social Media Share. Ruby and Jan join another new co-host, Tracy and Gibbs, along with my other two longtime Canine Epilepsy champions who have co-hosted with me and my Gibson for several years—“Olivia” and hu-mom Jeanaann Barnaby, and furangel “Rolo” and hu-mom Kimbereley Matchem.

 

I had a couple of questions I asked Jan about dear Ruby that I want to share with you, dear readers:

 

FiveSibesMom Dorothy (FSMD): What are some of Ruby’s favorite things to do?

 

Ruby & Hu-Mom: We live on a little 'farm' with a horse and a pony. I get lots of exercise. Ariel Rose and Gryphon are fur-angels now and we've adopted Mattie. She keeps us all hopping and I'm teach her lessons to become a therapy dog. My most favorite thing to do is visit the hospital. There I see patients and staff. My neuro-vet thinks this is good physical exercise & quiet mental stimulation to keep me alert. I also help momma teach people how to train their dogs and I get to practice puzzles and easy physical exercises. When I'm not having seizures, I'm just a 'normal' dog.”

 

FiveSibesMom/Dorothy: How do you live with Epilepsy? What are your suggestions for others to live with it?

 

Ruby & Hu-Mom: Take each day as it comes. Fight hard. Rest when I need to. Enjoy each seizure-free day to the fullest. Keep waggin. Be kind and compassionate. Reach out. Imagine what I can do and do it. Stay positive.”

 

What amazing words we can all—canine and human—live by. Ruby fought the brave fight, with her head held high while working to help others.

 

Epitaph:

 

2022: While Ruby earned her furangel wings on August 29^th of this year, and she is physically not here, her spirit always will be. I’m proud to call Ruby and her Hu-mom friends.

 "She visited 50 people at the hospital four days before she crossed over, and won all her seizure battles," adds Jan.

In Ruby’s memory, the wonderful work she did to help educate others on living a happy ~and~ working life with Epilepsy, will be carried on by her hu-mom through #RuBeStrong advocacy over on their Ruby the Therapy Dog Facebook page. Please be sure to visit for helpful links and info on dogs living with Canine Epilepsy and from occasional uplifting messages from Ruby, in her new forever home in those forever beautiful fields over the Rainbow Bridge.

 

 

What is Jack’s DOGs™? It is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit public charity founded in 2003 in central Indiana to provide therapy through interaction with trained and nationally registered Pet Partners®. “We work and play with people of all ages who have physical, emotional, and educational challenges.We visit nursing homes and day care centers, libraries and schools and other facilities in south-central Indiana. For example, we regularly visit the Indiana School for the Deaf and Franciscan Health – Indianapolis. And we visit with children at camps throughout the area. We also offer mentoring and informational programs about therapy animals and our own training.” 

To read more about Jack’s DOGs, visit their website HERE.

To read more about the National Kids Crew, visit HERE.

 

To learn more about the Pet Partners Therapy Program, visit HERE.

 

Jan is one of the guests on the panel of this special Zoom event that was recorded. A “Must-See” for any Epi-dog caregiver. 

 

Click on graphic below and enter Passcode: cjZCQs8? in box in order to listen to the 2-hour session (you can pause it).

 

💜 

 

Note: These are the personal stories of Epi-dogs as told by their families. As always, discuss any medications, alternative treatments, new foods, etc., with your veterinarian first before giving to your dog.

 

 

Other Stories in Our Epi-Stars Series: 

 

✭Epi-Star Gibson of FiveSibes, go HERE

 

✭Epi-Star Emma, go HERE. 

 

✭Epi-Stars Quinn & Sue go HERE.

 

✭Epi-Star Gibbs, the Therapy Dog, go HERE.

 

✭Epi-Star Jackie, Guiding Eyes for the Blind Ambassador/IBM Neurodiversity Mascot, go HERE.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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