Dog Nearly Dies from Ingesting Multiple Sclerosis Medication
Pet Toxicology Experts Share Complicated Case for Veterinary Appreciation Day
MINNEAPOLIS, June 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- When people with multiple pets get home to find something unexpected, missing or destroyed, they often don't know which furry family member to blame. Betsy Momany from Amana, Iowa, knew exactly which dog was responsible for getting ahold of her husband's tremor medication. Unfortunately, it was another pet who paid the price.
"We had just gotten a new rescue named Roxie, and she's the first dog we've had who gets in to things on the table," Momany explained. "We came home and found my husband's medication had been knocked on the floor and chewed open. We have five dogs. I knew it was Roxie who had taken it off the table, but it was Kaya who had chewed the bottle open. She is very motivated by food and eats everything."
Kaya ingested dalfampridine, a medication used to improve walking in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and is currently being used in patients with ataxia, which can affect coordination and balance. It can cause seizures and has serious interactions with other drugs. According to Momany, Kaya started "acting drunk." Her husband, Tim, knew immediately Kaya needed help, so they drove her to BluePearl Pet Hospital in Cedar Rapids. On the way, Kaya started having a continuous seizure. Once at the hospital, Kaya was continuing to have seizures and had developed dangerously high blood pressure and body temperature. With Betsy's quick thinking to call Pet Poison Helpline, the medical team at BluePearl was able to consult with the toxicology experts right away.
"While lifesaving for people with MS, dalfampridine has a very low margin of safety in animals, meaning that even small amounts can be dangerous, if not fatal, to pets," said Dr. Renee Schmid, a senior veterinary toxicologist and director of Veterinary Medicine at Pet Poison Helpline. "Kaya ingested what was considered a massive overdose situation."
Pet Poison Helpline and the BluePearl team quickly developed an aggressive treatment plan that included numerous types of anticonvulsants, medication to control her tremors and intravenous fluids (IVF) to help with her elevated temperature and to assist with excretion of the toxin. They administered an antiemetic to stop her from vomiting and closely monitored the secondary effects from her continued neurologic signs, high blood pressure and high body temperature. All these issues were potentially fatal on their own. Combined with each other, Kaya's will to survive, and the medical expertise involved in her care undoubtedly saved her life.
"The treatment plan was the magic that saved Kaya," Momany explained. "It was a miracle that Pet Poison Helpline was able to titrate all the other medications she was given in exactly the right amount. The communication between BluePearl and Pet Poison Helpline was excellent. Because this is such a rare kind of poisoning, I was afraid the hospital doctors wouldn't know how to treat Kaya. We're thrilled with the expertise Pet Poison Helpline provided." Titrate refers to the process of adjusting therapies based on response and patient needs.
On the second day, the medical team tried to ween Kaya off her medications, but the tremors continued. The hospital called Momany to prepare her in case Kaya needed to be euthanized.
"Kaya was doing a paddling motion, not a seizure, so I was hopeful," Momany added. "They kept focused on the treatment plan and it worked. Kaya is now doing great!"
"We're so happy with Kaya's outcome, but she almost didn't survive this accident," Dr. Schmid added. "Kaya's pet parents did the absolute right thing by taking her into the hospital immediately. If it weren't for the heroic actions of the BluePearl medical team, combined with the guidance of five Pet Poison Helpline veterinarians, this could have been a very sad ending. Fortunately, Kaya is enjoying her best life once again."
When asked what she is doing differently, Momany didn't hesitate.
"We're pushing in the chairs now so none of the dogs can use them to get up to things on the table," Momany explained. "My husband is also keeping his medication locked away. It was an important lesson. We can't say enough how grateful we are every time she goes running in a field."
Pet Poison Helpline created Toxin Tails to educate the veterinary community and pet lovers on the many types of poisoning dangers facing pets, both in and out of the home. All the pets highlighted in Toxin Tails have been successfully treated for the poisoning and fully recovered.
About Pet Poison Helpline
Pet Poison Helpline®, your trusted source for toxicology and pet health advice in times of potential emergency, is available 24 hours, seven days a week for pet owners and veterinary professionals who require assistance treating a potentially poisoned pet. Per incident and subscription service options are available. We are an independent, nationally recognized animal poison control center triple licensed by the Boards of Veterinary Medicine, Medicine and Pharmacy providing unmatched professional leadership and expertise. Our veterinarians and board-certified toxicologists provide treatment advice for all species, including dogs, cats, birds, small mammals, large animals and exotic species. As the most cost-effective option for animal poison control care, Pet Poison Helpline's fee of $89 per incident includes follow-up consultations for the duration of the case. The company also offers pethelpline(SM) and pethelplinePRO(SM) subscription services directly to pet lovers. Based in Minneapolis, Pet Poison Helpline is available in North America by calling 800-213-6680. Additional information can be found online at www.petpoisonhelpline.com.
Contact: Curtis Steinhoff
Pet Poison Helpline®
(602) 300-8466
csteinhoff@petpoisonhelpline.com
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