Epi-Stars, "Darren" & "Lana"   by Dorothy Wills-Raftery       *Note: this post may contain affiliate links.  Simply put, if you order using the link,  we earn a very small commission *at no extra cost to you.* I f you've been following us, for the month of November, which is National Epilepsy Awareness Month (NEAM) , I'm highlighting some amazing stories about Epi-Dogs. Insspired by not only my own Epi-dog Gibson’s story, but all the stories in my book EPIc Dog Tales: Heartfelt Stories About Amazing Dogs Living & Life With Canine Epilepsy , I was moved to bring back for a second year my series on Epi-Stars--dogs who have Canine Epilepsy, but never let that stop them from loving life. Sometimes that journey creates amazing bonds...between Epi-dog and caregiver; and between Epi-dog, caregiver, and their veterinarian team; and sometimes a bond forms with other Epi-dog families through sharing our knowledge and experiences wit...

Flashback Photo ~ Wolfgang ~ November 2021   "I believe in love at first sight and hindsight." ~Richard Madden I love this photo of Wolfie. I feel like when I was photographing him down at his height, we really could connect. On this particular day, I can't recall exactly what caught his attention, but I'm going to guess my grandchildren came running into the yard. After all the others in his FiveSibes pack family had earned their wings, Wolf really missed them. Thankfully, the love of my very young grandchildren brought him out of his grief.  The bond he formed with them, my grandson in particular, brought Wolfie so much much-needed joy. And Wolfie in return, brought so many moments of joy for the kids. My grandson bonded with Wolfie as well as Harley, Chloe, and Bandit from infancy. So Wolfie already had a bond, but when he was solo dog, it was if that bond became something magical. I can still hear the giggles of the kids from playing with him. Wolfie may have bee...

 The beautiful face of a dog living with hemangiosarcoma ~ Jan Jasa's "Suka"   A diagnosis of Hemangiosarcoma (HSA) strikes dread in the heart of dog parents. What is it? Can dogs live with it? Is there a treatment? What about holistic care? All of these are excellent questions for a devastatingly aggressive cancer in dogs. HSA can suddenly affect a dog of any breed (although some breeds may be more genetically prone to get HSA) at any time in their lives. The prognosis for a dog with this very aggressive form of cancer is usually grim with the dog having only a few weeks to a few months to live, regardless of whether there is surgery or not. Often times this sneaky cancer can go undetected, as in the case of two of my own dogs, Siberian Huskies “Gibson” and “Bandit,” until the dog suddenly collapses, and we are possibly faced with the most difficult decision a pet parent has to make—euthanasia.   According to the Morris Animal Foundation , “Every two minutes, a precious...