As Karen Kriegbaum was about to leave for work during the early hours of the morning, her 12-year-old dog suddenly went rigid and wouldn’t move.
The January 16 clip posted to TikTok (@sylvieandgooselesrouge) showed Ryder, a Yorkshire terrier–miniature poodle mix, standing stock-still before slowly lying down with his mouth open.
Newsweek spoke to Kriegbaum, 42, from Canton, Georgia, about the video captioned: “such a horrible, frightening morning today.”
She said: “I honestly thought he was dying.”
Kriegbaum was preparing to leave for work around 4:15 a.m. when the small dog approached her in the kitchen.
“I noticed he was making sounds as if he were trying to clear his throat. He began walking into the living room, took about 10 steps, and suddenly stopped. I called his name several times, but he did not respond,” she recalled.
“When I walked over and bent down, his body felt very stiff. Shortly after that, his breathing became labored.
“I turned his head toward me and noticed his eyes were completely glazed over. He slowly sat down, then laid down, and remained in that position for approximately 20 minutes.
“During that time, his body stayed rigid. When I lifted one of his hind legs, it dropped immediately. He did not look at me or respond at all.”
In the clip, she can be heard telling him he was a much-loved “good boy.”
She then woke up her son, Mikey, 21, who purchased Ryder when he was younger, to say goodbye.
She said: “When Mikey came into the room, Ryder looked at him and wagged his tail. His eyes were no longer glazed over, but he still did not move.”
The family got an emergency vet appointment and were told he was experiencing a focal seizure. For the rest of the day, Ryder was slow but otherwise acted normal.
What Are Focal Seizures in Dogs?
According to VCA Animal Hospital, seizures happen when there’s a sudden surge of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. In focal seizures, this activity is limited to one specific area rather than the whole brain.
Because only a small section is affected, the symptoms can vary widely—sometimes appearing as stiffness, unusual movements, or dazed behavior—depending on which part of the brain is involved. Focal seizures often resolve on their own and may not have an obvious trigger.
Kriegbaum said: “The veterinarian performed a full examination and said that aside from mild arthritis and glaucoma, he is very healthy.
“His heart sounded normal, and his blood work came back completely normal.
“The veterinarian said the episode was likely a focal seizure, explaining that it could happen again within a few months or may never happen again.
“She advised us to monitor him closely and bring him in immediately if another episode occurs.”
TikTok Reacts to the Scare
So far, the video has more than 124,000 views and almost 500 comments. Viewers offered support and practical advice.
One commenter wrote: “You did real good mom. Managing your emotions in situations like this is so important. We have to calm ourselves down so we can keep them calm.”
Another user added: “Absolutely terrifying to watch I can’t imagine the feeling. So happy he’s ok.”