Tiger King's Jeff Lowe suffers stroke

Photo: Netflix

Tiger King star Jeff Lowe is in recovery after suffering a stroke at a casino in Oklahoma.

The former operator of the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in Wynnewood was hospitalized in the early hours of 18 March (21) after his wife, Lauren, found him unresponsive at the WinStar World Casino, where they were staying.

"I thought he was dying in my arms," she tells TMZ.

Jeff was airlifted to a medical center in Denton, Texas, where he spent three days under doctors' care, and is now continuing his recuperation at home, where he is struggling with speech and coordination problems.

Medical experts have so far been unable to pinpoint the cause of the stroke, but both he and Lauren suspect Jeff may have suffered the health crisis after having his drink spiked in the hours leading up to his early morning emergency.

Lauren admits she has yet to report their suspicions to police, but explains the couple had been having dinner on 17 March when they were approached by a stranger, who claimed to know the pair and its favorite drink orders.

She believes the man, who has yet to be identified, may have slipped some kind of substance into her husband's drink, resulting in his stroke, although Jeff's blood and urine tests were negative for common drugs.