A Kansas City dog was diagnosed with canine narcolepsy this month, according to doctors from BluePearl Veterinary Partners specialty and emergency hospital for pets in Overland Park, Kan.
Melissa Trybom became concerned when she noticed that her 6-year-old dachshund named Toby would seemingly have sleep attacks while eating his food. Trybom took Toby to her family veterinarian, who referred him to the specialists at BluePearl.
Initially, Toby was seen by a cardiologist from BluePearl, who ruled out any potential heart conditions. Following his examination with the cardiology service, Toby underwent examinations by neurologists from BluePearl.
After observing symptoms associated with the rare ailment, the doctors had their diagnosis. In Toby’s case, his signature symptom was cataplexy, which is shown in the video above when the cataplexy is triggered by Toby’s excitement over mealtime.
“While this condition is exceedingly rare, it’s not entirely unheard of,” says Dr David Weinstein, a neurology resident with BluePearl, in a release. “Fortunately, Toby is responding well to the medication and he should be able to live a normal life.”
Headquartered in Tampa, BluePearl hospitals offer referral-only, specialty care services and most offer 24-hour emergency care.
