Stitch Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 The night before last our Dobe boy started coughing overnight so yesterday I took him to our local vet. He examined him and said that he had irregular heart rhythms and he suspected cardio myopathy and that he would look into getting him an appointment with the heart specialist. Last night the coughing was considerably worse. Our poor boy didn't get any sleep as he can't lie down without coughing and gagging. This morning I have rung the specialist vets myself and organised an AM appointment today. It isn't looking good I am afraid. Our boy is only 5 years old, too soon in my estimations for this kind of thing. Our previous Dobe had to be PTS at 7 because of wobblers and now this. I know that some dogs respond to medication for this problem so I am hoping that it will be the case this time but he seems very distressed. His whole body is heaving and I suspect his lungs are filling with fluid. I wish I could do something to ease his discomfort! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 oh How worrying, and sudden. Thinking of you.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted February 6, 2012 Author Share Posted February 6, 2012 Thanks Persephone. Yes it was sudden. He is such a big strong boy, or so I thought. One moment worrying about him digging up the garden and then next he is having this nasty health issues. He didn't give any noticeable signs other than the onset of the coughing and I am very observant when it comes to my dogs. Initially I thought it might have been kennel cough although it is a different kind of cough and he has been vaccinated for bordatella, not that that covers all respiratory problems. Maybe the out of character digging that he has been doing in the garden lately was related to a stress reaction to his heart problem or is that too much of a stretch?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
german_shep_fan Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 How worrying it is when they are sick. Thinking of you Stitch and i really hope things go well for you today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Maybe the out of character digging that he has been doing in the garden lately was related to a stress reaction to his heart problem or is that too much of a stretch?? I was thinking the very same thing ..as if he was in some discomfort .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravenau1 Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 We will be thinking of you and your boy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 They did a heart scan and all chambers of the heart are affected. The specialist said that if he was a human they would be looking to do a heart transplant. His lungs are 49% full of fluid. He is in great discomfort and has a very poor prognosis. I have now made the decision to end his distress as they say it is not something he is going to come back from. I can't believe how quickly this had all happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 gosh!! I am so sorry , and you have definitely made the right decision for the poor boy...he must feel very uncomfortable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k9angel Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Life is so unfair sometimes. I am so so sorry Stitch. My thoughts are with you and your boy today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretel Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I am so sorry for you. I had my lovely Dobe girl PTS as she had Wobblers. It's heartbreaking losing them so young Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessca Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I am s very sorry to hear this I lost my dobe boy late last year very suddenly too. A week before his 4th bday. I understand completely how you feel, and my thoughts are with you in this tough time. Again I am very sorry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogbesotted Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I am sorry to hear this news.. I will light an candle for both your pups.. I belonged to a DCM group some years ago.. i was allowed to join as my pitbull Jake had been diagnosed and the Dobe folks made him an honorary Dobe for the rest of his life.I felt honoured and deeply grateful for their wonderful efforts to educate me and help. I am sure you know all this already ... Cardiomyopathy is a major disease of Dobes..in fact Dobermans are over 40% of those diagnosed.Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in Doberman Pinschers is an autosomal dominant inherited disease http://dobermannnsw.homestead.com/healthissues.html . There is now gene testing for this disease USA http://www.vetgen.com/canine-dcm.html Australia:http://www.animalnetwork.com.au/tests/index.php?breedid=48 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 So sad to hear RIP Big Boy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 Thank you for your kind words & thoughts. It is going to take me quite a while to get over this. I just can't believe it has all happened and so quickly too. I didn't realise it was such a BIG problem in the breed until the specialist told me this morning. Can they test for it in Australia yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bully Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 So sorry to hear Stitch I lost Jessie, my 12 yo Bull Terrier to DCM 7 years ago last week. She made it to 3 years after prognosis. It is very common in dobes, and they don't tend to last long with it. One of Jessie's dobe mates at the beach was diagnosed not long after her at Christmas, he lost the battle at Easter It's a shitty disease. to you. dogbesotted, I remember you and Jake :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harley Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Oh no I am sorry to hear this. It is never easy, but he is too young My thoughts are with you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Dear Stitch. I'm so sorry to hear your news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravenau1 Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 So sorry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bisart Dobes Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Thank you for your kind words & thoughts. It is going to take me quite a while to get over this. I just can't believe it has all happened and so quickly too. I didn't realise it was such a BIG problem in the breed until the specialist told me this morning. Can they test for it in Australia yet? Sorry to read about your boy Unfortunately it is one of the diseases our breed is affected with - there are some lines that are quite badly affected with Cardio & it is well known too, I don't know why people continue to breed to them - it is so unfair to the owners of the dogs. On the plus side there are alot of lines here that are testing clear or negative for the gene - the test is only done in the US at the moment and I assume it will be years for the patent to be available here BUT to test in the US isn't expensive and alot of breeders here are taking full advantage of it and testing their dogs - whether they remove affected or positive dogs from their breeding program is entirely up to them though. If you take the step to get another dobe you need to engage in a discussion with the breeders you are interested in getting a dog from about the health testing they do and the results of the dogs they are breeding. While there can never be a guarentee that nothing will go wrong breeders (and not just of dobes - all dogs) should be testing for everything they can and using clear stock and working towards healthy long lived and great temperamented dogs. A future litter for us we have bitch here (clear) and the dog I am using has tested clear also - they may not be the perfect match phenotipically and there is another dog who is physically exactly what she needs but he is not clear - but I am happy to make a slower journey to where I want to be with great health results in tow. One great thing is that this new test gives us the opportunity to make that choice with more of the cards on the table. It doesn't help you with your beautiful boy but perhaps it will in the future if you decide you want another dobie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 so sorry to read this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now