Luckily, he was only used at stud once and the bitch produced one dead puppy.
At June’s (Marjorie’s sister) urging I called the Crawley’s and Michael answered. Since Michael is no longer with us, I will not repeat our
conversation; suffice to say it was brief and unsatisfactory.
We neutered Fonzie and waited for the right pet home to come along. It
did. A retired couple, who live in a suburb of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Fonzie
passed away in August 2000.
Here's to you Fonzie, you didn't live the life you should have, but you lived one that was as good as we could make it.
Carol Suggs
Half A Bob Norwich
At June’s (Marjorie’s sister) urging I called the Crawley’s and Michael answered. Since Michael is no longer with us, I will not repeat our
conversation; suffice to say it was brief and unsatisfactory.
We neutered Fonzie and waited for the right pet home to come along. It
did. A retired couple, who live in a suburb of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Fonzie
passed away in August 2000.
Here's to you Fonzie, you didn't live the life you should have, but you lived one that was as good as we could make it.
Carol Suggs
Half A Bob Norwich
The following letter was also in the dossier and is included here because it helps to show the possible emotional and financial effect on owners of an epileptic dog. The letter was hand written by the lady who was in her eighties but has since passed away. As a mark of respect I have omitted her name and her dog’s Kennel Club registered name. (Ch/Am Ch Elve The Alchemist was Robbie’s paternal grandsire).
To whom it may concern
In October 1991 I purchased a Norwich Terrier puppy as a pet – pet name Robbie. I had previously owned two Norwich Terriers as pets.
When Robbie was fifteen months old he started having fits. He lay down on his side and shook. He appeared to be unconscious for about two minutes. After about five minutes he was back to normal. The fits continued to occur at intervals of about four to six weeks. My vet said that from my description he would diagnose epilepsy. He did not at first recommend medication for that amount of frequency, as medication could cause liver damage. By the time Robbie was five years old the fits had increased to three or four times a week, sometimes two a day. The vet then prescribed phenobarbitone. A little later Robbie saw a young woman vet in the practice. She recommended an E.C.G. test to see if the fits were caused by heart trouble. The test showed they were not. She consulted with her ex-teacher, a canine neurologist, who said my description of the fits sounded like a mild epileptic seizure. Potassium bromide was prescribed in addition to the phenobarbitone. With the medication the fits decreased, but did not cease. Robbie was nine years old when a blood test showed damage to the liver. He was given a special diet. A few months later he filled with fluid and had to be drained. The vet warned me his days were numbered. He lived a happy life for three more months, then suddenly collapsed, and was put to sleep in March 2002. He was ten years old.
Robbie’s fits did not make a great difference to his everyday life, but they certainly shortened it, and they definitely affected my life – and my purse. The medication is expensive. After I became a widow Robbie and I lived a very close life together. His death was a great blow to me and I shall always grieve for him. He was doomed from birth and we were both deprived of a happy old age. Epilepsy was to blame.
Signed------
April 3rd 2003.
To whom it may concern
In October 1991 I purchased a Norwich Terrier puppy as a pet – pet name Robbie. I had previously owned two Norwich Terriers as pets.
When Robbie was fifteen months old he started having fits. He lay down on his side and shook. He appeared to be unconscious for about two minutes. After about five minutes he was back to normal. The fits continued to occur at intervals of about four to six weeks. My vet said that from my description he would diagnose epilepsy. He did not at first recommend medication for that amount of frequency, as medication could cause liver damage. By the time Robbie was five years old the fits had increased to three or four times a week, sometimes two a day. The vet then prescribed phenobarbitone. A little later Robbie saw a young woman vet in the practice. She recommended an E.C.G. test to see if the fits were caused by heart trouble. The test showed they were not. She consulted with her ex-teacher, a canine neurologist, who said my description of the fits sounded like a mild epileptic seizure. Potassium bromide was prescribed in addition to the phenobarbitone. With the medication the fits decreased, but did not cease. Robbie was nine years old when a blood test showed damage to the liver. He was given a special diet. A few months later he filled with fluid and had to be drained. The vet warned me his days were numbered. He lived a happy life for three more months, then suddenly collapsed, and was put to sleep in March 2002. He was ten years old.
Robbie’s fits did not make a great difference to his everyday life, but they certainly shortened it, and they definitely affected my life – and my purse. The medication is expensive. After I became a widow Robbie and I lived a very close life together. His death was a great blow to me and I shall always grieve for him. He was doomed from birth and we were both deprived of a happy old age. Epilepsy was to blame.
Signed------
April 3rd 2003.
Experiences continued:
