HEEL, STAY, RUN, PLAY DEAD.........

Like the pet owner in Chubbuck, Idaho, I miss throwing a Frisbee and him chasing it down and bringing it back to me. His catching a tennis ball in his mouth; walking alongside me on our daily trips; lying on his back as I rubbed his tummy – No, I never owned a dog but had a very friendly neighbor named, Herbie.

Dogs are man’s best friend. A masseuse is mine but that’s another story. All my friends who own dogs are better people for it. Dogs bring them uncomplicated love; simple joys and warm bonding. I envy them…but, my blow-up rubber lady comes close to that.

The thing about dogs is they're such fun, they're peppy, they're lively...well, some are. Shari Henderson is the owner of a wonderful toy poodle named, Skeeter. Until recently, what should be some of a dog’s greatest joys in life have become Skeeter’s worst nightmare. Food, a chance at chasing a squirrel, going for a walk, or even an opportunity to sniff another dog all have the same effect on the 11-pound poodle: he’s out cold.

Skeeter has been diagnosed with narcolepsy which is extremely rare in dogs and has fascinated Skeeter’s veterinarian in Pocatello. The condition is so rare that there are no statistics available its prevalence in dogs. “He has no personality right now,” Shari said. “It is scary. I don’t want him turning into a pooch/couch pillow. The condition is more common in humans but has been documented in some horses (many that I’ve bet on), ponies and a single Brahman bull – which made it very easy to ride in Rodeos.

Narcolepsy is caused by a disconnect between the normal sleep-wake-cycle, triggered by excitement the causes the afflicted to go from being awake straight into a deep sleep. My ex-wife obviously suffered from this disease. In humans (that let’s her out), strong emotion triggers attacks, and dogs have strong emotions about eating and having fun. With Skeeter, initially, only the sight of food triggered attacks…he lost so much weight he looked like one of the Olsen twins. His condition has progressively gotten worse, and his vet hopes the human medications he prescribed for Skeeter – Ritalin and an antidepressant – will help restore the dog’s normal routine.

Skeeter once spent his afternoons roaming the fence line in the Henderson’s one-acre yard. When Shari’s husband, Darrell, took him for two-mile walks, he pulled on the chain wanting to walk faster. Now, poor Skeeter falls asleep in mid-trot…I don’t care what you think – that’s a funny picture…the Hendersons place him in a stroller for his customary walk. The walks might not being doing Skeeter any good but Darrell’s legs are in great shape.

Skeeter can no longer eat regular dog food, so they hand-feed him cooked veggies and lunch meat. To keep the poodle awake during the meal, they hold up his back legs and massage his neck. I don’t blame Skeeter for not eating regular dog food – and I’m going to try having my legs held up during a meal…couldn’t hurt.

Aside from the danger of falling asleep in mid-activity, narcoleptic dogs are embarrassed to be around normal pooches. There’s no joy for a dog that can’t stay awake to experience things he once loved to do. Skeeter has taken the phrase, “Playing Dead” to an extreme.