30/07/2026
An Update on Our Boy’s Passing: Mom’s theory about what happened and spreading awareness 🩷🫶🏼
It has been about 10 months since we tragically lost our beloved boy, and the pain of his sudden passing after a critical emergency stay is still very real. Because so many of you loved him and followed his journey, I want to share a conclusion I have finally pieced together. While I cannot medically prove it, this theory perfectly connects every single piece of his final puzzle—and my hope is that it might protect another dog in the future.
In his final 24 hours, his jaw suddenly locked shut, and an emergency CAT scan revealed a massive, severe infection in both of his salivary glands. At the time, it was described as a rare "double salivary infection." Tragically, his body collapsed under the immense physical stress right after the procedure.
But for months before that crisis, I noticed him slowing down. His legs were moving with a "funny," stiff walk. He also tested positive for Lyme disease at the time of his illness.
My theory is that the Lyme disease was never a coincidence—it was the root cause of everything.
Lyme disease doesn’t just attack joints; it can aggressively inflame a dog's muscles. I believe the Lyme bacteria were silently affecting his leg muscles for months, causing that unusual walk. Eventually, that inflammation violently targeted his chewing muscles, locking his jaw shut. The swelling was so massive that it spilled over into his neighboring salivary glands, mimicking a severe double infection on the scan. Because his body was fighting an exhausting, multi-system war against this hidden inflammation, his heart simply could not withstand the general anesthesia required for the emergency scan.
What I want you to take away from his story:
Trust your instincts. If your dog shows a slow decline, a stiff or "funny" walk, or any signs of muscle weakness, please advocate for comprehensive tick-borne disease screening immediately. Tick-borne illnesses are masters of disguise. They can mimic severe muscular diseases, and if left undetected, can cause sudden, catastrophic crises.
I did everything in my power to be the best mom, and I truly believe my intuition about his muscles was right all along. Thank you all for loving him. He was one of a kind, and his legacy lives on. 🐾💔