A woman who owns a dog with epilepsy is sharing the challenging reality and difficult moments she battles daily.
Border collie Harley was diagnosed with the life-changing condition at the age of two, and has required round-the-clock care ever since.
Owner Melaney Callaghan, 52, from Hampshire, cannot leave Harley's side even for a moment and is anxious to put the washing on the line or go out for a meal.
She told The Mirror : "It's a constant worry because you don't know what's going to bring her seizures on. Our life is ruled by her but I wouldn't have it any other way. She is my fur baby."
Loveable six-year-old Harley is worth every single effort, though that doesn't mean it isn't incredibly hard.
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Melaney got border collie Harley as a puppy in April 2016, and for the first 18 months of her life, she was perfectly healthy.
In November 2017, she had a litter of perfect puppies, but it "took a toll on her body" - and five months later, she had her first seizure.
"It was extremely scary. It felt like it lasted forever but must have been five minutes," Melaney said.
Melaney hoped it was a one-off, but a year and a half later, history repeated itself on New Year's Eve.
"She went into cluster fits and I had to take her to the emergency vets," Melaney recalled.
After that, Harley started taking epileptic medication daily and continued to have seizures every couple of weeks.
Harley's puppy Indiana lives at home, and is incredibly well-behaved when her mum fits.
"She tries to stay out of the way. She'll have a sniff and make sure she's as right as she can be, then lay on the other side of the bed watching," Melaney said.
There is no pattern to Harley's seizures and it's difficult to know what brings them on - but Melaney puts it down to being over-stimulated sometimes.
"Last summer, we'd been to the beach for the day and she had a lovely time but when we returned home, she started uncontrollably shaking," Melaney said.
"Most of her seizures happen at night. She will be laying on the bed or floor and her legs become stiff, her head goes back and she shakes.
"It's horrible. Sometimes she foams at the mouth and she can wet herself.
"It might last two minutes then she'll go floppy for 20 seconds and jump up.
"She gets excitable and runs around wobbly on her legs, often bumping into things."
Melaney is permanently anxious about Harley's next episode, and cannot leave her side.
"Sometimes she'll just lift her head up at the TV and I'll worry that she's going to have a seizure," she said.
"She can't ever be alone. I'm lucky to work from home, but even if I go into the garden on my own, I can't hang around outside and speak to the neighbour.
"It might be the moment she has a seizure."
Melaney describes Harley as the "loveliest dog you'll ever meet" and says she deals with her epilepsy fantastically, though she doesn't like taking her four tablets a day.
"Sometimes I have to shove it down her throat which is awful," Melaney said.
Harley's last seizure was at the start of March - and with it came a horrible diagnosis.
"She started throwing up and had a small fit. The vet suspected it was a virus but then her stomach became rock hard and she was unsteady on her legs," Melaney said.
"They had to decompress her stomach and give her a feeding tube, which later got infected and gave her an abscess."
An ultrasound and CT scan diagnosed Harley with pancreatitis, a lifelong condition that will have a huge affect on her life.
Harley is now stable and recovering at home, but has to take seven pills every morning and evening on top of her epilepsy tablets.
Melaney has been left with a £7,500 bill from the hospital and her insurance company can only cover £3,000.
To help her financially, her sister, Lynsey Walker, 40, set up a GoFundMe page last week and has managed to raise £480 so far.
Lynsey said: "We know it's a lot to ask, but if anyone can find it in their hearts to contribute, even a little to Harley's care, it would be so appreciated."
Melaney is juggling the strenuous demands of Harley's care, but wouldn't have it any other way.
"I don't have any children so my dogs are my babies. Harley rules my life and I don't go anywhere or do anything without her. She is my world," she said.
If you would like to donate to Harley's care, please visit her GoFundMe page.
Do you have a dog story to tell? Contact nia.dalton@reachplc.com.
