Dobermann with dilated cardiomyopathy
Discussion
Up until 3am, Baxter was a healthy six year old Dobermann, full of mischief, typical of the breed, full of life. Hated the rain, though oddly enjoyed swimming in the sea. He's not what you'd call a lover of motorbikes, or indeed golden labradors.
He was sick during the night, normally he'd let you know that he wanted out to the toilet, I heard him moving about downstairs and came down and told him off, but cleaned up and thought no more of it. Unusually he wasn't awake before us for breakfast, but came down and ate his breakfast, but later in the morning we found him lying on the floor. I checked his gums and his tongue, which were both blue and rang the vets.
He's had a couple of injections and the vet has asked us to take him in, in the morning for an x-ray. I just don't think he's going to make it through the night. He's lying in the garden as I type and we'll sit with him through the night, but we've been here before with our previous Dobie so we know what to expect. He's struggling to breathe and can't get comfortable.
It's so hard to believe that such an active, healthy dog, who this time yesterday showed no signs of being unwell may not be with us much longer.
Good luck my old Thunder Buddy.
He was sick during the night, normally he'd let you know that he wanted out to the toilet, I heard him moving about downstairs and came down and told him off, but cleaned up and thought no more of it. Unusually he wasn't awake before us for breakfast, but came down and ate his breakfast, but later in the morning we found him lying on the floor. I checked his gums and his tongue, which were both blue and rang the vets.
He's had a couple of injections and the vet has asked us to take him in, in the morning for an x-ray. I just don't think he's going to make it through the night. He's lying in the garden as I type and we'll sit with him through the night, but we've been here before with our previous Dobie so we know what to expect. He's struggling to breathe and can't get comfortable.
It's so hard to believe that such an active, healthy dog, who this time yesterday showed no signs of being unwell may not be with us much longer.
Good luck my old Thunder Buddy.
Thank you all for the kind words. It's such a shock, there were no warning signs, he was his typical self yesterday and today he is gone.
Give each and every one of your pets a hug from me and my family tonight, because they really are a part of your family, even cats, well some cats.
Give each and every one of your pets a hug from me and my family tonight, because they really are a part of your family, even cats, well some cats.
Dogs do wonders for the human ego. They love us unconditionally, and ignore all our flaws and faults. They only see the best possible version of us. It makes the decision to keep a dog, to choose to look after this creature and care for them and provide them with everything they need in life, an obvious choice for me.
They reward your kindness tenfold. Equal parts our friends and our therapists; the title of “man’s best friend” is in my view well deserved. But if dogs have but one fault, it would be their life span. They have an incredibly unjust length of time on this Earth relative to their good nature.
They reward your kindness tenfold. Equal parts our friends and our therapists; the title of “man’s best friend” is in my view well deserved. But if dogs have but one fault, it would be their life span. They have an incredibly unjust length of time on this Earth relative to their good nature.
Sorry to hear about your dog Ructions. I put my old doberman to sleep last year just before his 12th birthday so I know your pain.
Not for everyone I know but for me the best course was to get a new puppy and get back to beach/forest/mountain walks.
My old dog is buried in the back garden so it helps a little to know he's there nearby.
Not for everyone I know but for me the best course was to get a new puppy and get back to beach/forest/mountain walks.
My old dog is buried in the back garden so it helps a little to know he's there nearby.
He's the second Dobermann we've lost in just over four years, I think we'll take our time before we look at a replacement.
We'll get the results of the post mortem next week and see where we go from there. It's very hard to comprehend, he was a young, healthy, energetic dog in his prime. His diet was better than most humans and he got regular, lengthy walks. He was a typical Dobie in many ways and although he was small in stature he had a massive heart, like his owner he never backed down.
We miss him terribly. Mrs R is heartbroken.
We'll get the results of the post mortem next week and see where we go from there. It's very hard to comprehend, he was a young, healthy, energetic dog in his prime. His diet was better than most humans and he got regular, lengthy walks. He was a typical Dobie in many ways and although he was small in stature he had a massive heart, like his owner he never backed down.
We miss him terribly. Mrs R is heartbroken.
I collected Baxters ashes yesterday, Friday. We will scatter them on the local beach and in all the other places where we enjoyed our time, albeit short, together when the time is right. I miss him more than I ever thought possible, for such a litle dog, by Dobermann standards, he has left a massive hole in so many lives.
Rest Easy, my wee friend, run free.
A good friend offered me a Cane Corso, not sure of the spelling, pup free, from his next litter, they are beautiful dogs, but they aren't Dobies. Despite their fraililties, Dobies are the only dogs in the world who can take over your house, your garden, even your bed without you noticing or even caring.
The Insurance company have been wonderful, covered all our bills without question, actually it was only one bill of €200, but they have offered money to replace Baxter. Baxter is irreplaceable, so I have asked for the money to be donated to the local SPCA. Baxter was a rescue, but I'm not sure just who rescued who. He was a little lost soul who needed some guidance and in return he rescued a couple of lost souls who needed more than any dog could give, but he managed to give more than we could have asked. I'd like to think we gave him more than just a home, more than just the love he didn't get from his last custodians.
His bed is still at the top of the stairs, we can't bear to move it. I said I would move it after a month, might be a catholic thing, moving on after the months mind, whatever the feck that is.
I'm drunk on a Friday night, talking to strangers on the internet, I used to enjoy the 'Post Photos of Yer Dogs' thread, even Pestys 200 posts a day of his dogs havin a poo, now I'm just jealous and heartbroken. We don't deserve dogs. They deserve so much more.
In time, we'll have another couple of Dobies, if we make it through this plandemic.Despite their frailties, they are the only breed for us. Mrs Ructions Auntie used to judge them at Crufts, I'd have been happy with a golden labrador, until I met my first real dog.
I was at a funeral during the week, a young girl who could see no other way out than to take her own life and when I put my hand into the pocket of my funeral suit, to put something into the collection plate, there were a number of doggie bags. If one of them had been full, I'd gladly have given it to the priest. Another life cut short cos no one really gives a feck. Another broken family.
Lifes a b
h.
Rest Easy, my wee friend, run free.
A good friend offered me a Cane Corso, not sure of the spelling, pup free, from his next litter, they are beautiful dogs, but they aren't Dobies. Despite their fraililties, Dobies are the only dogs in the world who can take over your house, your garden, even your bed without you noticing or even caring.
The Insurance company have been wonderful, covered all our bills without question, actually it was only one bill of €200, but they have offered money to replace Baxter. Baxter is irreplaceable, so I have asked for the money to be donated to the local SPCA. Baxter was a rescue, but I'm not sure just who rescued who. He was a little lost soul who needed some guidance and in return he rescued a couple of lost souls who needed more than any dog could give, but he managed to give more than we could have asked. I'd like to think we gave him more than just a home, more than just the love he didn't get from his last custodians.
His bed is still at the top of the stairs, we can't bear to move it. I said I would move it after a month, might be a catholic thing, moving on after the months mind, whatever the feck that is.
I'm drunk on a Friday night, talking to strangers on the internet, I used to enjoy the 'Post Photos of Yer Dogs' thread, even Pestys 200 posts a day of his dogs havin a poo, now I'm just jealous and heartbroken. We don't deserve dogs. They deserve so much more.
In time, we'll have another couple of Dobies, if we make it through this plandemic.Despite their frailties, they are the only breed for us. Mrs Ructions Auntie used to judge them at Crufts, I'd have been happy with a golden labrador, until I met my first real dog.
I was at a funeral during the week, a young girl who could see no other way out than to take her own life and when I put my hand into the pocket of my funeral suit, to put something into the collection plate, there were a number of doggie bags. If one of them had been full, I'd gladly have given it to the priest. Another life cut short cos no one really gives a feck. Another broken family.
Lifes a b
h. 
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