The Mighty "Quinn" of the White Dog Army & his Hu-Mom, Susan Sehi-Smith     by Dorothy Wills-Raftery     As part of National Epilepsy Awareness Month , I am highlighting some truly amazing Epi-Stars all month long. This post was going to be about a special little white dog named The Mighty "Quinn," however, after I just sadly learned last night of the passing of Quinn's hu-mom, Susan Sehi-Smith, an incredible human, a fellow blogger, friend, dog-parent, and tireless advocate for both animals and people, I've decided that this Epi-Star is for both Quinn and Sue.   With this being Election Day, and it's Epilepsy Awareness Month, and a lunar eclipse, I thought about the timing of Sue's sudden passing. It's as though the universe was preparing for their newest angel. And, tonight, while I was watching The Canine Epilepsy Summi t finale on Zoom by VetVine and the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, I couldn't...

Epi-Star, Emma       by Dorothy Wills-Raftery    A Tribute to a Special Dalmatian  K9 Epilepsy Awareness Trailblazer   As part of November's Epilepsy Awareness Month , and my series on "Epi-Star" dogs with Epilepsy (Epi-dogs), I want to give a nod to, and talk about, a trailblazing dog that advocated for Epi-dogs. One of the first resource people I came in contact with after my Gibson was diagnosed as an Epi-dog in 2009, was Marion Mitchell and her story of her beloved "Emma," a beautiful Dalmatian that was also an Epi-dog, diagnosed in 1994 at just 15 months of age. Through all the trials and tribulations, medications, and quest for alternative treatments, Emma was able to climb mountains, including a "14,000' mountain" with her family, swim, and go on camping trips.    Marion and Emma showed that dogs with Epilepsy can still enjoy life.     As her hu-mom, Marion, is quoted in her Cybermesa blog dated July4, 1998: " Wonderful ne...

 Updated November 1, 2025   My FiveSibes "Gibson" Les Paul of Mystic Mountain My Heart Dog. My Epi-Dog. My K9 Hero.  My Inspiration.   by Dorothy Wills-Raftery     November is Epilepsy Awareness Month, and here at FiveSibes, we always have, and always will, advocate for Canine Epilepsy Awareness . During this month of awareness, I like to share with you a few amazing fellow Epi-dogs, who I like to call Epi-Stars . And to kick of the month, I would like to begin with my own very special boy, my fluffy, wooly, loving Siberian Husky, Gibson of the FiveSibes. If you've followed my blog and my articles, you know my beloved heart dog, Gibson, began having seizures shortly after his third birthday in 2009, and boy, I was scared. When he had his first seizures (and you can read more from my journals HERE) , I knew absolutely nothing about Canine Epilepsy or seizures in dogs when I walked in on him post-ictal, and thought I had just seen him take his last, ...