Brokenhearted - Page 1

I am broken hearted and baffled by the paralyzation and subsequent death of my beloved "Link". He would have been 2 in May and I had to have him put down last week. Wonderful, sweet temperment, very gentle and calm, never chewed was housebroken at 10 weeks, etc., exceptional dog. Just finished advanced novice obedience and was supposed to start tracking the very day after this nightmare started. His sire was out of Gradalens Gross and Ciera z Javarove Zahrady. He was a beautiful "plush" coated with a georgeous male head. Anyway...my husband was playing "throw balls in different directions", his favorite game. Link went to retrieve one ball while my husband ran to get another. He was behind a large bush and didn't come back. My husband called and went around and he was front paws down, ass in the air. Hubby thought he was playing and called again and he just fell. He carried him to the patio, thinking he had dislocated his shoulder. I notice something wrong with his eye, can't really describe, seemed sunken and pink eyelid protruding from corner of his eye. We loaded him into the car and rushed to the emergency hospital (supposedly the best in the area). He was nervous in the car but didn't seem to be in pain, which was puzzling. Got him there and they took two hours to come out and tell us they thought he slipped a disc in his back or neck, was right side paralyzed but had deep pain sensation so good probability of coming back. They need to do an MRI and subsequent surgery and he should have a 75% chance of walking again. MRI showed no disc problem, no swelling, nothing except a "shadow between C1 and C@ vertabrae in his neck" which also could be "something showing on film from outer coat", so no surgery to be done. Their best guess was "fibro-cartilagenous emboli". Just rest and they fitted a neck brace "just in case". Three days and $3500 later we brought him home screaming in pain or distress, they couldn't tell. He would eat, only drink, had a pain patch, anti-anxiety meds and steroids. We had to manually empty his bladder (which he was very upset about, think he thought he was peeing in the house), turn him every few hours, make him as comfortable as possibe and wait. To make a long story short, he was wasting away and suffering terribly and I couldn't bear to watch it anymore. With no answers I had my best friend put down and held him as he breathed his last. My children are grown and gone so this dog was our life!! He jogged with my husband every morning, kept quiet watch over us and worked until the end. The only command he could obey at that point was "watch" and he did so intently. My friend is gone a week ago today and we will never be the same. I did get a pup because I couldn't stand the emptiness. He's really a cutie but I know I can't replace my Link. I don't expect him to, just want him to be who he's going to be and hopefully he'll be half as good. Just wanted to share my grief and wanted to know if anyone has ever had a similar experience. I'm thinking it was a stroke.

oh that's awful, I'm so sorry. Very scary to think of this happening to any healthy dog, let alone one so young and active. I wonder if he might have run into the fence behind the bush? Maybe he injured his vertibra then. Anyway, it is a terrible thing and I wish it hadn't happened to anyone and their special dog. molly

Sparrow, I felt a lump in my throat as I read about the loss of your baby boy. ( this is circuited wife) We had a GSD level 3 that sounded so much like your guy. We lost him in August to a brain tumor, he was here one minute and gone the next. My husband traveled for work and he was my protection dog and my very best friend. Like you, I bought another dog within 2 weeks. Mine was a trained young dog level 2. We had him about 2 weeks and he had renal failure and died. We did get a replacement for that dog as we did pay $8,000 for the one that died. The next dog the came to us is a sweetie pie, but I wasn't ready for another dog in my heart and Brando ( new dog) bonded totally with my husband. In November as a birthday gift my husband got me a female GSD. We went to Marko Island for Christmas, the morning of the 26th of December my husband took the two dogs out for a walk. They each had their own leash, the female was lagging behind and my husband looked back and she was on the ground. He held her in his arms and she was dead within the minute. The Island K9 unit happen to drive up at that time and got out to see if they could help. The officer said he thought it was a heart attack.. Sasha was only 1 year old. We watch our dogs and everything they do and eat. I say this because the people who sold Sasha to my husband refused to replace the dog when we returned home. We were heart broken and so confused being away that we never thought of an autopsy. The K9 officers took Sasha with my husband to their vet and to body was taken care of there. We left for home the next day as we couldn't take being there after that happened. To find the people who sold the dog to us so unwilling and uncaring took a toll on us. They didn't care about the dog it was all about money. The K9 vet on the Island said the dogs litter mates should be cked out, these people didn't even want our help, let alone help us. Two weeks ago we took delivery of our new female GSD, who came to us right from Germany. We now have our Brando and Aebby. I hope and pray for some wonderful great years with these two dogs. I didn't mean to go on and on here about all this, I know I am still mourning for Marko, my baby who died from a brain tumor. All of us who lose a dog so suddenly and fine ourselves asking what happened, it seems like the pain stays on and on. I wish you all the best with your new puppy. Sorry for being so long winded. Camille

Sparrow, I felt a lump in my throat as I read about the loss of your baby boy. ( this is circuited wife) We had a GSD level 3 that sounded so much like your guy. We lost him in August to a brain tumor, he was here one minute and gone the next. My husband traveled for work and he was my protection dog and my very best friend. Like you, I bought another dog within 2 weeks. Mine was a trained young dog level 2. We had him about 2 weeks and he had renal failure and died. We did get a replacement for that dog as we did pay $8,000 for the one that died. The next dog the came to us is a sweetie pie, but I wasn't ready for another dog in my heart and Brando ( new dog) bonded totally with my husband. In November as a birthday gift my husband got me a female GSD. We went to Marko Island for Christmas, the morning of the 26th of December my husband took the two dogs out for a walk. They each had their own leash, the female was lagging behind and my husband looked back and she was on the ground. He held her in his arms and she was dead within the minute. The Island K9 unit happen to drive up at that time and got out to see if they could help. The officer said he thought it was a heart attack.. Sasha was only 1 year old. We watch our dogs and everything they do and eat. I say this because the people who sold Sasha to my husband refused to replace the dog when we returned home. We were heart broken and so confused being away that we never thought of an autopsy. The K9 officers took Sasha with my husband to their vet and to body was taken care of there. We left for home the next day as we couldn't take being there after that happened. To find the people who sold the dog to us so unwilling and uncaring took a toll on us. They didn't care about the dog it was all about money. The K9 vet on the Island said the dogs litter mates should be cked out, these people didn't even want our help, let alone help us. Two weeks ago we took delivery of our new female GSD, who came to us right from Germany. We now have our Brando and Aebby. I hope and pray for some wonderful great years with these two dogs. I didn't mean to go on and on here about all this, I know I am still mourning for Marko, my baby who died from a brain tumor. All of us who lose a dog so suddenly and fine ourselves asking what happened, it seems like the pain stays on and on. I wish you all the best with your new puppy. Sorry for being so long winded. Camille

Thank you so much for your kind words. Molly, we thought he may have hit the fence but he was 10 feet from it and my husband says he would have heard it, he was only 20 feet away from him. We've been over it so many times and nothing seems to make any sense. His paw prints were still in the yard and I made plaster casts of a few. It felt like he was still here in some small way and I'm just not ready to let go. I don't think I'll ever get over this. Some people would say I'm crazy, it's just a dog but he WAS my baby. We also have 2 Border Terriers and although I love them they can be so difficult at times. Link was so steady, that's the best word I can find to use. I trusted him so completely and he me. That's why I couldn't watch him suffer, his eyes were telling me he couldn't live like that. I don't even wonder if he could have come back because I know I did the right thing by him. And Camille, My god, I can't imagine going through this more than once!! I'm so sorry for you. I can't believe your breeder has such a cavalier attitude, no better than a puppy mill, just in it for the bucks. I've lost dogs at 10+ years but to have the young ones go is just a tragedy, I feel for you. We invested so much time and love into him. Thank you for your words of encouragement, I appreciate it. Our new boy is a black and red from West German lines, I have found his ancestry on this site but am not that familiar with it. His parents and grown siblings had sweet temps and that's what I was looking for the most. We won't be breeding or doing any confirmation, just obedience and possibly tracking if he's got what it takes. He's a little devil biting and chewing but is pretty good witht the housebreaking and seems smart. He's 9 1/2 weeks and a real handful. We named him after Link's sire, Drake. Thanks all for your sympathy. Cindi

I do not think we ever get over losing our loved ones.

It could have just been a fluke accident - he could have turned his head to go after the ball and cracked the vertibra - I know that "doesn't happen" but he could have turned it just right - or grabbed the ball too fast and head-planted into the ground, also injuring his neck - I know I have a bad back - not the same thing - but I've never injured it - but it hurts like heck and I can't stand for any length of time before sitting down. I had a friend whose horse was standing in his box stall sleeping, and kicked at a fly, shattered his leg and they had to euthanize him - just a fluke accident. It doesn't sound like a stroke - but who knows. It's just terrible that it happens to the young special ones. He was a lucky dog that it happened when you were there to rush him to the vet, and not alone somewhere with noone who cared enough to notice something was wrong. molly

Molly, I've been through exactly the same scenarios, he did run hard after the ball. I didn't bring it up to my husband because he in some ways blames himself. "If I didn't throw that ball this might not have happened" kind of thing. I keep telling him not only will we never know that's what happened but even if it was it was a freak thing, he was the one who wanted to play ball, it was his favorite thing to do!! He was not alone too often, my husband owns his own business and took him to work every day. The only time he was alone was when we were not home and he was in the house. That's what makes this even harder, he did everything with us. I just ache. Thanks for the input, you're thinking along the same lines I am. I thought he may have wrenched his neck when going down for the ball, running fast and stopping short but I guess we'll never really know.

Sparrow,first, I am deeply sorry for your loss. I think it's sweet that you kept his paw prints. Second, I have to say that my gut reaction to the your description of what happened was stroke . Whatever it was,it was tragic and,again,I'm very sorry for your loss

Sparrow - I feel your pain. I want to tell you that when my dogs pass away - I usually have another within 5 days - I keep grounded - and it is a nice diversion for me - starting to train again - etc..........I am always careful not to grieve in front on new puppy and to love him or her for who they are - do not compare and keep Link in your memories forever........