News and Views From my kids accomplishments, to my heretical perspective of the world

The last test results on Apollo came back positive for Valley Fever. In fact she said the test came back strongly positive, so it’s fairly serious.

Dogs in the Southwest get Valley Fever just like humans do, and as in humans usually just infects the lungs. But in some cases it will break out and infect other parts of their bodies. When it infects the brain it can cause seizures.

With treatment the prognosis is good, but he will be on expensive anti-fungal medication for at least a year and a half, and possibly the rest of his life.

I’m not sure if this is better than epilepsy, but at least there is a treatment.

Apollo has epilepsy, or at least appears to have the dog version.

I was on my computer when I heard a thumping sound outside. I found Apollo stretched out on the ground on his side, with his front and rear legs swinging around like he was trying to run. His hind legs kept hitting some roof tiles I had piled up there, and that is what I had heard. He didn’t respond to me at first, but within a minute or so he got shakily to his feet, though he kept falling when he tried to walk.

I got him to the vet within 5 minutes, and by that time he was already steadier on his feet, but salivating and pacing around agitatedly.

The vet ran some blood tests looking for possible causes, and most of them have come back negative. We’re still waiting for the Valley Fever and Tick Fever tests to come back, but she said that 90% probability it was epilepsy, or the dog version of it. Apparently it is not uncommon, especially in Siberian Huskies, and this case showed the classic symptoms.

If it happens more than once a month then we will have to put him on anti-convulsants. Less than that, and we just try to keep him from harming himself or others when he seizes, and live with it.

It was a scary sight, seeing him on the ground like that. The first thought that went through my mind was that he had got into some insecticide or anti-freeze, or that someone had poisoned him. It was a great relief when he seemed to recover so quickly.

I’ll post an update if either of the final tests come out positive, but otherwise assume it is just a genetic condition.

For several years, every Monday Gisele has driven to Scottsdale for a small advanced French class that met in the home of one of the students, Angela Morley. Gisele mentioned to me that Angela, an elderly lady, was a composer and had won some awards.

Angela died last Monday, and I looked into her past a little bit. It turns out that the awards she had received were 11 Emmy nominations, 3 Emmy awards and 2 Oscar Nominations. It turns out she collaborated with John Williams on the score for several movies, including ET, Home Alone, Star Wars, Superman, The Empire Strikes Back and Schindler’s List. She wrote the score for the animated movie Watership Down. She wrote the scores for several TV shows, including Dallas, Dynasty, Falcon Crest, Hotel, Cagney and Lacy, Wonder Woman and others. She wrote many arrangements for Julie Andrews, Mel Torme, Placido Domingo and others. She arranged music that Itzhak Perlman and Yo Yo Ma played at the 2001 Academy Awards ceremony.

There is a small memorial service on Saturday for family and close friends that Gisele has been invited to. Only after her death did Gisele realize that her friend and classmate had lived such a productive and illustrious life.

I posted previously how Apollo can run beside the bike, using the special “Springer” attachment. As he gets older and stronger, he is taking on his hereditary role and has started to pull the bike.

As we leave the driveway, he is running as fast as he can — up to 15 MPH with my feet resting on the pedals. When we first started, a year or so ago, he would run for maybe 100 meters before he slowed down and I had to pedal. Then he would run beside the bike, but not pull it.

Little by little he has pulled the bike further and further. He runs best when there’s someone else along on another bike to ride out in front and encourage him.

Best run so far: A couple of days ago he pulled Derek for 2.8 miles, with me on another bike encouraging him along. Derek pedaled a total of maybe 5 revolutions that whole time; once when Apollo saw in interesting tree and had to be discouraged, and once going around a sharp corner where he had to slow down too much. Otherwise, the husky puppy provided all the power.

After the first quarter of a mile or so the pace was slow — a trot of maybe 7-8 miles per hour, but he just kept going. We were amazed.

When we got back home (after Derek pedaled another mile or so with Apollo running alongside), he took a big drink, then collapsed for a few hours with a satisfied look in his eyes.

Gisele and I are going away for a week or so. First to Las Vegas for two nights, then San Francisco to visit Gisele’s sister Angela, then finally down to Pasadena to visit Devon.
Leaving tomorrow (Monday) morning, back early the next week.

Derek is still on winter break, but decided to stay home and take care of Apollo.