Every pet owner knows that sinking feeling when they come home to find something destroyed.
But one Iowa family discovered their worst nightmare when their rescue dog’s mischief put another pet in mortal danger.
And this shocking case of mistaken identity nearly ended in tragedy for the Momany family from Amana, Iowa.
New rescue dog creates chaos but wrong pet pays the price
Betsy and Tim Momany thought they knew their five dogs pretty well after years of pet ownership.
But when they brought home Roxie, a new rescue, everything changed.
"We had just gotten a new rescue named Roxie, and she’s the first dog we’ve had who gets into things on the table," Momany explained.
The couple came home to find Tim’s multiple sclerosis medication bottle knocked off the table and chewed open on the floor.
While Roxie was clearly the culprit who knocked the bottle down, it was another dog named Kaya who actually chewed open the container and ingested the dangerous medication.
"I knew it was Roxie who had taken it off the table, but it was Kaya who had chewed the bottle open," Momany said. "She is very motivated by food and eats everything."
Kaya had consumed dalfampridine, a medication used to improve walking in patients with multiple sclerosis and ataxia.
The drug can cause seizures and has serious interactions with other medications, making it extremely dangerous for pets.
Dog starts acting drunk before terrifying seizure
The Momanys quickly realized something was terribly wrong with Kaya.
According to Momany, Kaya started "acting drunk."
Tim Momany knew immediately that Kaya needed emergency medical attention, so they rushed her to BluePearl Pet Hospital in Cedar Rapids.
But the situation got worse during the drive to the hospital.
Kaya began having a continuous seizure in the car, and her condition deteriorated rapidly once they arrived at the veterinary hospital.
At BluePearl, the medical team discovered that Kaya was continuing to have seizures and had developed dangerously high blood pressure and body temperature.
The combination of symptoms painted a grim picture for the beloved family pet.
Veterinary experts call it a massive overdose situation
Betsy Momany’s quick thinking to call Pet Poison Helpline proved to be the difference between life and death for Kaya.
The toxicology experts were able to consult with the BluePearl medical team immediately to develop a treatment plan.
"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.
Dr. Schmid didn’t sugarcoat the severity of Kaya’s condition.
"Kaya ingested what was considered a massive overdose situation," she explained.
The veterinary team knew they were fighting against time to save Kaya’s life.
Aggressive treatment plan becomes the miracle that saved Kaya
Pet Poison Helpline and the BluePearl team quickly developed what Momany called "an aggressive treatment plan" to combat the multiple life-threatening symptoms.
The treatment included numerous types of anticonvulsants to control her seizures, medication to manage her tremors, and intravenous fluids to help lower her elevated temperature.
The medical team also administered medication to stop her vomiting and closely monitored the secondary effects from her neurological symptoms, high blood pressure, and dangerously high body temperature.
Each of these conditions could have been fatal on its own, but the combination created an extremely dangerous situation for Kaya.
"The treatment plan was the magic that saved Kaya," Momany said. "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 impressed the worried pet owners.
"Because this is such a rare kind of poisoning, I was afraid the hospital doctors wouldn’t know how to treat Kaya," Momany admitted. "We’re thrilled with the expertise Pet Poison Helpline provided."
Touch-and-go moment nearly ends in heartbreak
Even with the aggressive treatment plan, Kaya’s recovery wasn’t guaranteed.
On the second day of treatment, the medical team attempted to reduce Kaya’s medications, but her tremors returned.
The hospital called the Momanys to prepare them for the possibility that Kaya might need to be euthanized if her condition didn’t improve.
"Kaya was doing a paddling motion, not a seizure, so I was hopeful," Momany recalled about that terrifying phone call.
Fortunately, the medical team stayed focused on the treatment plan, and it worked.
"Kaya is now doing great!" Momany announced with obvious relief.
Veterinary experts praise heroic response
Dr. Schmid emphasized how close the family came to losing Kaya despite their quick response.
"We’re so happy with Kaya’s outcome, but she almost didn’t survive this accident," Dr. Schmid said.
The veterinary toxicologist credited the Momanys for taking immediate action when they realized something was wrong.
"Kaya’s pet parents did the absolute right thing by taking her into the hospital immediately," Dr. Schmid explained.
She noted that it took a team effort to save Kaya’s life.
"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," Dr. Schmid added.
Family makes important changes to prevent future accidents
The Momanys learned a valuable lesson from their terrifying experience with Kaya.
When asked what they’re doing differently now, Betsy Momany had a clear answer.
"We’re pushing in the chairs now so none of the dogs can use them to get up to things on the table," she explained.
Tim Momany is also taking extra precautions with his medication.
"My husband is also keeping his medication locked away," Momany said. "It was an important lesson."
The family remains grateful for Kaya’s full recovery and the expert care she received.
"We can’t say enough how grateful we are every time she goes running in a field," Momany concluded.
Pet Poison Helpline used Kaya’s case as part of their Toxin Tails educational series to help other pet owners and veterinary professionals understand the dangers of medication poisoning in pets.
The organization reminds pet owners that even medications that are lifesaving for humans can be deadly for pets, and immediate veterinary care is essential in poisoning cases.
Kaya’s story serves as a powerful reminder that pet-proofing homes requires constant vigilance, especially when introducing new pets with different behaviors.
