47 replies to this topic

[hheldorfer]

We'll always be here for you, kittdog. Gosh, your Jade was a beauty and we're all grieving right along with you.

[Lynn in TN]

I am so sorry for your loss.The picture of her is just beautiful. I can't imagine the pain yo must be feeling, to lose one so suddenly. I also thought that was something that happens to large dogs. I hope you find some comfort soon. I know the pain from loss well and know it takes time for it to ease. Bless you.

[maggie]

I am so sorry for your loss, I can't even imagine how heartbreaking this must be. You are in my prayers.

[pindrop]

This is one of the most heartbreaking things to have happen especially when totally unexpected in one so young. My heart goes out to you in this time of sorrow. No words can really express my sadness for your loss. Having gone through the loss I know your pain. My deepest sympathies for you and your family.

[kittdog]

So if any of you are interested, the conclusion that we've come to after much research is for some unknown reason her lower end stomach valve malfunctioned causing her to bloat/rupture stomach and intestines. We know her top half couldn't have closed off because of the throwup and blood that had to have come from her stomach. We think that once it started and being small (15 pounds) is why it went so fast. We don't think it's from anything she ate, drinking too fast, running around, etc. because she hadn't done those things beforehand plus she had pooped normal a few hours before all this. We're not sure if there was a small tumor in the valve area that caused it all or it was just a fluke. Hopefully my posts on this will help you all be aware of this so if you ever suspect your dog may have bloat to get them to the vet, but surgery wouldn't have saved her it was too fast, plus we read that she would have had to been stabilized because of the shock/blood loss, which I'm not sure they would have done knowing the time was slipping away. She didn't show symptoms, whining, panting, foaming, restlessness or anything that fits bloating, but her body was in shock fairly quickly. I've lost pets, but never to something like this.

[Idaho Cairns]

Most certainly I am interested in your experience with Jade but it sounds as if you were completely helpless to recognize what was happening or to help her in any way. What a tragedy for you! Hopefully today is easier for you since the shock of your loss is lessened. I'm keeping you and your family close in my heart and mind this morning. Peace.

[Zekey's Mom]

I was aware of this condition, but like others, only thought that it affected larger dogs. One of my coworkers had a similiar experience to yours with her young, vibrant, GSD. Extremely sudden, totally unexpected, and very frightening.

Horrible that you and Jade had to go through this. I am certain that you did everything you could to minimize her suffering. Try to take comfort in the years that you provided her with a warm and loving home, and celebrate what a fuzzy little imp she must have been. That photo of her is SO adorable.

Edited by Zekey's Mom, 23 September 2011 - 08:26 AM.

[cairnfan]

I am so sorry to hear about Jade. She looks like she was a beautiful, little cairn. I'm sure she had a wonderful life with you and you can cherish the time you had her in your life.

[ScruffynMag]

Oh what a beautiful little girl, your Jade. I'm so sorry for your loss, it must have been heart breaking especially to happen so quickly.
My neighbour lost her Leon Berger last month to the same thing. Leon Bergers are big dogs and it is quite common in big dogs although can happen to small dogs too but not as often. Since my neighbour lost her dog I've been so aware of this condition and make Scruffy calm down after he's eaten. He has a habit of tearing round, doing the zoomies after his dinner but that's a no no now. My neighbours dog had eaten 2 hours earlier and had been romping about with their Labrador puppy and the vet thinks this is what brought it on. It was too late to save her by the time she'd got to the vets.

[ladymacin]

I'm so sorry for your loss. The picture brought tears to my eyes. Very sad to loose such a young dog. Hugs from a far.

I'm glad you posted this though to make peeps aware.

My Rickie is quite bloated lately and I was wondering what it was caused from. Since I've never owned a Cairn, I wasn't sure if it was the breed or something else. So I was searching the site for answers. Rickie eats his food in under a minute which I think is causing the bloating. I also give him yogurt, low fat, plain because the boxer gets gas so every one in my herd eats it. His little tummy feels like a drum. I'll be doing further research to find some alternatives to help him.

[cairnsby3]

I can't help with the bloating, but I can with the eating fast. There are special bowls that have humps in the bottom to slow dogs down or what I have done is put either a nylabone or a clean used marrow bone in the bowl with the food so they have to eat around it. Shiner still eats fast, but he used to inhale it so fast he sometime threw it back up, he doesn't do that anymore.

[Kiko]

we're sorry to hear about your lost. We will include you to our daily prayers and hope everything will work out for everyone.

[ladymacin]

cairnsby3: I found that bowl in my research too, thank you. When we fed Rickie last night, I placed a small dessert cup upside down in his bowl and didn't mix his food up (yogurt separate and Tablespoon of soft) the remaining was kibble. He was the last dog to finish eating. That has never happened. Even my picky Shih Tzu finished before him and she has to do a happy dance of-- do I eat or not before she actually consumes her food. Also, I read not to feed water 1 hour before and after they eat and don't let them have physical activity same as the water. His tummy wasn't as bloated or hard last night after dinner and this morning it seemed normal. I read too, the kibble should be 3mm in size to make them actually chew their food instead of inhaling it. My kibble is smaller than that. I might have to change our food if the dessert cup doesn't work. I learned a lot yesterday and wouldn't have if this post wasn't here.

[cairnsby3]

Ladymacin, I'm glad it helped. Depending on the size of the bowl, you can use anything that is too big to swallow, just so they have to eat around something. My speedy eater gets kibble, supplement and a heaping spoonful of pumpkin all at once in his bowl with the old marrow bone plopped on top. I remember hearing years ago about putting big rocks in the feed bucket for horses that ate too fast, just so they had to work to eat.

[cairnzma]

That is so sad. What a sweet,adorable face. I also teared up because looking at that sweet face will do it! Its like I am looking into my little cairn Henry's face. I think when it happens so fast like that it makes it harder to realize your little friend is really gone. It takes time to heal your heart but it will. Three yrs ago we lost our shep/lab suddenly too. She was having a hard time breathing so I rushed her into the emergency care center thinking she had maybe an upper respitory infection or cold and was shocked to find out her heart was 3x its size and she was going into cardiac arrest. She was only 6yrs old and always healthy so needless to say I was shocked. They come into our lives for a reason I'm sure, even if we must suffer their loss. Our lives are so much more full of meaning from all the happy memories....hang onto your memories of Jade and let time heal your heart.