Paralyzed dog saved moments before euthanization


Portland, Ore. (KPTV) – After Ollie the dog suddenly became paralyzed, his owners made the difficult decision to euthanize him. “When his mobility was shot and he was paralyzed, it was just weird seeing him just laying there on the floor, knowing he had so much more life in him,” said Ollie’s owner Falline Fate. “He’s been a really big part of our family.”

Following a thorough check a Portland, Oregon vet, and no answers, they made a tough decision. Dr. Adam Stone said, “They finally decided they had reached their limit and it was time to help him pass. He couldn’t stand, he couldn’t walk, he couldn’t urinate, couldn’t defecate. So they had instructions to go get his bladder emptied twice a day from the regular vet to see if he would improve.”

Dr. Stone treated Ollie at Dove Lewis Animal Hospital, and said the dog’s sudden onset paralysis could have stemmed from a number of issues. “Anything from cancer to trauma, or a fracture of a vertebra or a spinal fracture – any one of these could have caused similar signs.”

But it wasn’t any of those things the actual culprit was literally much smaller said Dr. Stone, “It was right here, right here, right behind his ear.”

A tick lodged behind Ollie’s ear, they think he picked up on a recent camping trip. And it was discovered just in the nick of time, by a veterinary intern.

Falline Fate said, “He was in the room about to get put to sleep, and it was just pure grace that the people found something and decided to check it out further. They have a neurotoxin in their saliva that prevents nerve transition to the muscles, and that takes time to build up in the body and cause paralysis like what we saw in Ollie.”

Falline said that aside from an unflattering haircut, “He seems a little different with his haircut.”

Ollie was back to his energetic self about 10 hours after the tick was pulled out. Falline said, “The next morning my mom opened the door and said ‘look at your doggie’ and he comes walking up to me, and I’m barely awake, and just smiled at me.”

Ollie’s vet says that paralysis from ticks is pretty rare, but can happen with certain types of ticks. Ollie’s owners tell me that they will definitely keep up with tick and flea medication from here on out.

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