Koa The National Hot Tub Dog Dies at Age 7 – Obituary

Nakoa Charles Bear (Koa) the National Hot Tub Dog, passed away on August 15, 2022 in Navarre, FL. He was 7 years old. He passed after succumbing to injuries following an accident.

He was born on August 28, 2014 and was adopted by PoolAndSpa.com’s founder Daniel Harrison in December 2014 in Las Vegas, NV. He then moved to Navarre, FL in 2017.

Koa served as the National Hot Tub Dog from 2019 – 2022, after the previous Hot Tub Dog Cody passed in 2019. Cody inherited the title of National Hot Tub Dog from Sanji, who passed in 2014. The previous Hot Tub Dog was Sammy, who passed in 2013. He received the Hot Tub Dog title from Moose, the original Hot Tub Dog, who passed in 2002. All had been adopted by Daniel Harrison over the years in New York and Las Vegas.

Koa suffered from epilepsy since 2017. He had a very rare form of the disease and was treated with many new drugs in an effort to keep his condition under control. When he was not having seizures (sometimes up to 10 a day) he was a perfectly normal and very active dog. He was being treated in Pensacola, FL by a world renowned veterinary neurologist. His persistent case stumped many in the field, and he was even featured in Germany during a worldwide veterinary symposium studying new treatments for canine epilepsy.

While his condition did improve a lot over the years, he still had 5 or 6 seizures per month, even when taking a battery of medications that would have stopped them in most dogs. He was a true fighter and a hero right till the end. His condition still remains a mystery in the veterinary neurological field. Ironically, his accidental death had nothing to do with his epilepsy.

Koa was at work in the PoolAndSpa.com office every day – in Las Vegas as well as Florida. He was loved by all that had the chance to work and play with him. He liked eating, digging holes, marrow bones and always trying to sneak out of the backyard or front door when no one was watching! He is survived by his doggie friends Marley and Ollie.

The title of National Hot Tub Dog will be temporarily taken over by his friend Ollie, until the new successor is officially announced.

Rest in peace Koa. You were a good boy!