[MaxandMe]

I am so sorry to hear about your loss and cannot imagine the heartache
Perhaps one day you might let another dog into your heart and home again.

I do know my friend lost her Great Dane to stomach torsion the 2nd time he had it. It was so sad.

and Annie last year joined our forum with sad news of losing her beloved Hannah, next thing we knew she and her hubby brought Tanner home

Sonny looks like he was a fun loving comical doodle and I pray your grief will ease soon. And maybe a doodle who needs a home will find yours, one day.
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Annmarie, Max,& Peanut
Forum BLOG ARTICLE LINK http://blog.labradoodle-dogs.net/

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." Anatole France

[madcity_mike]

Sammy looked like such a sweet soul! I'm so sorry for your loss...
_________________
Mike, Sofie, and Parker


"What dogs? These are my children, little people with fur who open my heart a little wider."
-Oprah Winfrey

"Until one has loved an animal, part of their soul remains unawakened."

[ChasP505]

I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. Almost the same thing happened to my close friend's Akita last year. It came on so fast, nothing could be done to save the dog.
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Chas P., Carol and Ozzie

[Cinsmom]

So sorry to hear of your loss. It's always tough to lose a family member. He was a beautiful dog!

[Lora]

I am so sorry for your loss. You are in our thoughts and prayers. Boyd is almost two and I can't imagine losing him. Please accept our hearfelt sympathy.
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Lora and Boyd

[ellabee]

Awww I love that photo of Sonny....I bet he was a real character...

I'm so sorry for your loss...and thank you for sharing your story with us. I hope you gain peace of mind over this. Again, so sorry...
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-Lynn
& "Dexter #3" (third Dexter to join the forum -
and Sandy's littermate!)

[L's Mom]

I am so sorry for you loss, I know how hard it is. I lost my Maltese almost 2 years ago, after a long battle with congestive heart failure.

Thanks Jac, for the great article, I was surprised to see that elevated food dish could do this too??? I always thought it was the other way around... glad I hadn't bought one yet!

Tink, I have been thinking about free feeding as well, but do you think this would be a problem during potty training?
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Jenny, Sam, Lucas, & Della

[Megan]

I'm sorry.
I went through this with my St. Bernard as a result of someone poisoning his food/water when I left her tied up on my 5 acre property with neighbours very far away (and they loved her anyway) for 30 minutes.
I came home. petted her & thought her body seemed fat.
To the vet very quickly (6pm), by the time there she could hardly walk-they had to perform a full 'code' due to poison-hose down mouth to flush & straighten intestine & tons of emergency meds.
Once poisoning reversed, sent home & told to 'keep her walking' , not to let her lie down. We walked all night-I had to measure her girth every 30 minutes. She wanted to go under the bushes-I kept her walking like they do with horses.
By 4am her girth bloated again-surgery, spleen removed (it was huge) I had to assist with the surgery as the vet was alone at midnight (I was an OR nurse in an earlier life), stomach was 'stapled".
She seemed out of the woods, post op woke up fine, happy.
2 hours post-op The vet & I went to the coffeee room for 30 minutes, as she was stable.
Came back & found my Jessie acting funny-eyes rolled a bit-odd movements-he got more drugs but within 5 minutes she had died in my arms. She understood every word I was saying to her & was so happy I was there.
Then I had to tell my Mom who had had a previous heart attack & that was scary...made her take a tranquilizer before I told her. But she kept saying "Where's Jessie?" as I never went anywhere without her. My Mom cried harder than me.
This was 1986-every detail remembered so clearly-when we first arrived he asked about fertilizers etc wihtin her reach-NO. Then he said "Do you know anyone who would hurt your dog to hurt you, because she has been poisoned for sure?" I said "No" but later realized I did know someone, hard to believe but had to be.
Ok enough crying : The St Bernard has the build of a cow & is prone to bloat under the right conditions (I had 6 of them in my life-no other problems-it is rare)
But one thing that can cause it is eating too big a meal. So I will forever divide my meals. If your dog eats too quickly-place a BIG rock in the bowl-it slows them down. Also, pre-moisten your kibble for 10 mintes, allowing it to expand before it hits the gut.And if your big dog eats lying down, get the bowls raised off the floor, encourage eating standing.
I know how you feel. It will become easier to focus on the good as with all lifes awful lessons. Within 2 weeks my brother died suddenly which upset my Mom to the point that she had another heart attack & died 6 weeks later. So, the loss of Jessie was forced into perspective pretty dam quick. I've always felt a little guilty for not having more mourning time over "The Jess".
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Megan

[Megan]

Sorry I hadn't read Jac's letter posted.
I see the raised bowls are bad-I don't have one (thank God) , my Kahlua eats standing.
Sorry, I was wrong about the bowls.
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Megan

[Megan]

FYI: The vet cried & cried & I never got a bill.
After he told me she was gone I remember asking him about her, what would I do with her now? Seriously, I said that.
At the time, I thought he might carry her to my car for me, she was mine for 9 years afterall, I just assumed I would take her home.
He said he would have her cremated. I asked him if that was best or if I should take her and have a funeral!! I remember asking him to promise he would pat her & talk to her the whole time, until the last minute.
He promised.
She weighed 150 pounds-a real lover face.
I just took her collar with tags, picked up her leash & walked out of there all by myself, it was still dark out.
The Jess's collar & tags are one of my most prized possessions.
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Megan

[DianeM]

Mojo and I have been so busy with the training, and I, with my relapse of MS, that I have not been posting, but wanted to take this very important time to tell you, our hearts and thoughts are with you during your loss of Sonny. I too, am so thankful for what time we do have with our doodles, and with all of our family, because we never know what the future brings. Please accept our love and support.....
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May you always have a comfy place to lay your head!

Mojo

[*sharon*]

I am so sorry for your loss. I'm having a hard time not crying here at work. I wish I were at home to give my baby lots of hugs.

[doodleheaven]

I am so sorry about Sonny. Sounds like he was such a special special dog. I too hope that another dog sometime in the future will help heal your wounds. My golden/lab died this past summer at 13 years old. I got my labradoodle 3 months later as the pain was too much to bear without a dog. My new labradoodle will never replace my other girl, but he sure has helped my heart heal.

I understand that labs tend to be a bit higher risk for bloat as stated by other posters. I also know they are higher risk of it happening again if it already happened once. Funny, but I only know this from reading the book "Marely and Me". If you haven't read it please do. I laughed and cried so hard. It was very healing for me.

Megan, your loss touched me so much also. I am sorry for what you went through. So much loss in such a short time. I remember leaving the vet with my dog still inside the room after she was put to sleep. It felt so lonely (even though my whole family was with me). I felt like I was abandoning her by leaving her at the vets even though she was already dead. I had the same feeling when I left the hospital room after my mom died 10 years ago. My dad kept saying 'it's ok to leave her, her spirit is already gone'. I thought of those words with my dog too.

Peace to all who have been through such hard losses...
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Lily and Bailey

[missmydoodle]

Well my parents bought a puppy but it is a lab. he is so cute and so well behaved ,but my dad thinks he made a mistake and wants a doodle .My mom had him trained in 3 days and does not want to give him away so they will be getting another puppy soon this time a doodle for my dad which surprisingly is having a really hard time with the loss of Sonny. Just wanted to update everyone and thank you for your support.

[L's Mom]

Well that's wonderful! Congrats to them!
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Jenny, Sam, Lucas, & Della