'Miracle' recovery of dog with same condition as Celine Dion

Three-year-old Labrador Polly has periods where her entire body goes rigid.

The agonising autoimmune disorder Stiff Dog Syndrome escalated rapidly for her, to the horror of her owners Lucy Palfreyman and Marc Wood.

Lucy explained how the condition, which mirrors that affecting singer Celine Dion, started to take hold.

She explained: "It all began when Polly’s tail began going stiff, causing her to scurry around the house and become distressed.

"It was happening a couple of times a day but escalated quickly to the point when it was happening numerous times an hour.

"She couldn’t eat, drink or walk without it happening and the stiffness was spreading over her body. She would go rigid for minutes at a time."

This dramatic worsening of her signs took place over just a couple of weeks culminating in a late-night visit to a local emergency vet as Polly had multiple ‘seizures’ in the space of an hour.

The concerned couple sought veterinary advice and were referred to neurology specialist Professor Clare Rusbridge at Linnaeus-owned Wear Referrals in Bradbury, County Durham.

Lucy, from Newcastle, added: "The emergency vet saved her life by stabilising her and arranging for her to be admitted to the intensive care unit at Wear Referrals. 

"We were petrified when we learned she was potentially suffering from a rare auto-immune condition called Stiff Dog Disease and that there isn’t a known cure.

"We were so concerned and upset to be told our dog might not be the same again. We are first-time pet owners and it was absolutely soul-destroying to think we might never again enjoy all the things we used to do together."

Fortunately for Polly’s owners, Professor Rusbridge, an award-winning specialist in veterinary neurology, recognised by both the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and European College of Veterinary Neurology, was able to pinpoint the rare condition and provide a treatment plan.

Prof Rusbridge said: “Polly arrived at Wear experiencing severe cramping and frequent collapses into agonising, tetanic (rigid) spasms.

“Lucy and Marc explained these frightening episodes intensified during moments of anxiety or excitement.

“We investigated thoroughly and Polly was diagnosed with an extremely rare autoimmune neurological disorder called Stiff Dog Syndrome, which is named after a similar condition in humans called Stiff Person Syndrome.

“In fact, Polly's story mirrors that of world-famous singer Celine Dion, who also battles this incredibly uncommon condition.

“We began Polly on a regimen of immune-suppressing drugs, anti-epileptic medication to promote muscle relaxation and introduced a magnesium-rich diet.

“Happily, her clinical signs are now controlled and she is living her best life again with Lucy and Marc.”

Marc is extremely grateful but confessed: "The past year has been tough on all of us. It’s been so up and down as the fear of seeing Polly become poorly again was always around the corner.

“The care we received from the Wear team was absolutely wonderful, though, and we couldn’t be any more thankful to Clare and her team for supporting Polly and us through this difficult time.

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“Polly’s recovery has been nothing short of a miracle, she is doing amazingly.

“The medication controls her condition extremely well and we’re very slowly and cautiously weaning off her remaining medication. 

“She is back to living her life to the absolute full!”