Froglet

So sad for your loss as mine has just been diagnosed with DCM and the vet doesn't think he'll live beyond 6 months. He seems so fit right now...I can only hope he goes quick and that it's not a drawn out process, but my heart is already broken Sending hugs x

Clairdev

Only just come back onto the forum. Thank you for the kind messages. Can anyone tell me what normally happens towards the end? He's been amazing now for 3 weeks came out of kidney failure and really bounced back. However for the last week has been retching every now and then. Seems today a little worse with the retching. Just took him round the block and he kept stopping. I'm worried. I hate to ask the question-how do they normally die with DCM? It's heartbreaking to even ask. I've never been so sad in my entire life.


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Clairdev

my beautiful Zeus, my best friend and baby boy, still fighting, 6 weeks after diagnosis x


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pdubois64

I'm so sorry to hear you are going through this. With my boy it was near the end when I saw abdominal swelling. He really had no other symptoms other than some labored breathing when lying down. I can't comment on how it would have ended as I had him euth'd before I had to find out. He was in the hospital on med's and not getting any better. Good luck with your boy, all we can do is love them until the end.

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Dillon:b.2/19/09 d.9/28/12 "The best walks in life are always the briefest"

Clairdev

So sad thank you. He seems well again today. He is on all the meds. It's like being tortured knowing he is going to die but not knowing when x


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alys

With my boy his heart rate soared and he wanted to stand by the open door,I think he needed the cold,fresh air. I knew the end was inevitable so I made the hardest decision and although I know it was right I still question it.
In a way because it is always fatal, i didn't beat myself up as much as i might have done if there were lots of options. I just made my decision for him not me and yes he could have lived longer but not better. Go with your heart and you will do the right thing.
My thoughts are with everyone in this situation.

JobeyV

Hi,
Is Zeus retching or is he coughing? I ask because when Homer coughed it didn't sound like a cough at all, it looked & sounded like he was retching, he'd make what sounded like a belching noise, it didn't sound like a cough at all. If he's coughing more he may need his diuretics dosage upping.

In answer to your question "How do they normally die with DCM?" I can only tell you my experience with Homer. In the last two weeks or so his coughing got worse, especially after he'd been sleeping for a long while. He started to get real picky with his food, sometimes it would take him hours to eat it. Right towards the end his breathing got worse & he couldn't get comfortable when resting due to the fluid build up in his lungs. He couldn't lay on his side & would lay in the "sphinx" position, the only position he could get comfortable in. The last 24 hours he wouldn't eat & he didn't sleep at all that night, he would just stand there staring into space, like he wasn't really there any more. We took him to the vets that morning & let him go after bravely fighting this disease for just over 2 months.

I so hope you get some real quality time with your precious boy. I hate this damn disease & what it does to our babies.

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Clairdev

Poor Homer. It's so terribly sad. He is retching like dry retching. He looks fantastic which plays tricks on my mind, he is playful and still eating. However he is lying in the sphinx position alot and can't seem to get comfortable of an evening. He is still sleeping through the night. I am worried he is deteriorating. This is horrendous I can't beat the thought of bring without him. Sobbing my heart out just writing this :-(


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alys

I think a lot of us on here still cry most days, I find so many posts feel so close to what I have been through. There is nowhere else that just seems to 'get' how i felt and what I was going through. I wonder why.Doberman people seem to just understand,the total love we have for our breed. They are truly special and that makes it so,so difficult. Remember we all 'get it' and all too many of us have been in your shoes.
Just hug.

Clairdev

Thank you Ayls. So true. They are so special, so human like. Love him so much some days I feel my heart may break. Every time I leave I kiss him and look him right in the eye to tell him I love him, I swear he understands he gives me a big lick x


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Jeff1916

I lost my first Dobe presumably to cardio. In his 9th year he died suddenly in his sleep. About 10 years ago I lost my 7 year old bitch not long after her diagnosis. And both dogs were back yard bred. As far as I can tell, whether your Dobe is byb, American show lines, Euro etc., if you live with and love Dobes, waiting for the telltale cough or other harbingers of cardio remains an element of that relationship.

A couple of years back I published a poem, Chamber Music, a personal response to DCM.

Boston Literary Magazine

Clairdev

That's lovely Jeff. I'm not sure what back yard means? I'm in the UK he is full pedigree with a champion dad


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pdubois64

Back yard breeding refers to just throwing 2 animals together to breed without any consideration of the combination other than to produce puppies for $.

While it is true that DCM is in every Dobermann's lines I believe you can increase your odds somewhat by supporting breeders that do health testing and know their lines. For my next pup I will be doing extensive pedigree research on the breedings that I will consider to hopefully stack the odds a little bit in my favor. I would not even give the time of a day to a breeder that doesn't do echo/holter's at least yearly. But like everything in life there are no guarantees, but we must support the ones that are trying to make a difference.

__________________

Dillon:b.2/19/09 d.9/28/12 "The best walks in life are always the briefest"

Clairdev

Yes so true. They are worth every penny and every bit of love. He's the best thing that's ever happened in my whole life. So loyal and loving. So cruel they have to be taken from us in this way


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rachelframpton

I am new to the forum and have just found out yesterday that our Dobe flash who is 8 next month has DCM. I am heartbroken, I would like to say that hopefully we found it early but I don't think it matters how bad it is.

The only symptoms he has is the dry wretching sound, apart from that his normal just a little more tired. The wretching only seems to happen when his sleeping and it then wakes him but he doesnt do it everyday.

Clairdev

Ahh I am so sorry. I know finding it early doesn't change the end prognosis but you should have so much longer with your baby. Sometimes they can live over a year too two if you look online. We found out on 26th November our boy had it but unfortunately he had already gone into full heart failure so we are not as lucky. Zeus's cough has stopped now strangely and he seems back to his normal self which is great. He's eating brilliantly and full of energy. We can see his heartbeat it totally crazy and his breathing can sometimes be a little fast but apart from that he is our lovely Zeus. Don't give up, it can take a while to get the meds right. At fist Zeus suffered from pancreatitis then too many diuretics sent him into kidney failure and we nearly lost him, took about a month to get him back to himself. I'm so sorry, this is such a cruel disease. At least once treated they don't seem to be in pain. You'll have good days and bad days, most of the time now I'm okay, done days I just cry all day as I can't bear the thought of him not being at my side. This forum is fantastic you will find much needed support and questions answered here x


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Clairdev

Jeff I also forgot to reply but I agree it doesn't matter where our angels come from, this disease is awful and you have as much chance of DCM with full pedigree as you do with back yard. The odds are over 50% :-(


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pdubois64

Not sure if this has been posted before but I came across this information today on a study using stem cells to treat DCM:

Dialated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) study looks at using stem cells to repair hearts

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Dillon:b.2/19/09 d.9/28/12 "The best walks in life are always the briefest"

Clairdev

Interesting, no I've not seen this before, thank you


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Clairdev

9 weeks on Zeus has started to fill with fluid. He has had 2 litres removed from his chest today. They are putting him on a higher dose of diuretics last time he went into moduret he went into kidney failure. Devastated, I feel like this is near the end, I love him so much I feel like my heart is breaking. DCM is so so cruel.


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JobeyV

I'm sorry to hear this. That's alot of fluid, I hope he's feeling more comfortable now.
We understand your pain & are here for you.
I shall keep Zeus in my thoughts.

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Clairdev

Thank you, I'm finding it hard. I think I've been in denial. He has still been playful and energetic until yesterday. Just can't get my head around it. Not sure I can make the dreaded decision. I am not ready to say goodbye


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CalamitysHuckleberry

You will know and you will question yourself over and over, but don't beat yourself up because deep down inside you will know because he will tell you.


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LindaH

I am sorry you and Zeus are going thru this. Just remember, you should do what is in Zeus's best interest and not hang onto him if he is beginning to suffer. You might choose some of his favorite things he enjoys and when he can't or doesn't want to do those, make a decision.

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dax0402

So sorry to read this. What LindaH said! Live in the moment with Zeus and when his quality of life is not there you will have to make the decision to give him the greatest gift you can give him. No more pain. My thoughts are with you and Zeus. Please keep us updated.

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