The Greatest Dane

Sincethe night after his last vet trip, things have slid backward a bit. The vet gave him a good review and says he was much better. That night though the mucous came back in his sinus... quite badly. His coughing and wheezing started back up too. I have just been up all night, His breathing earlier was really terrible. He shook and trembled on each inhalation. I could hear his wheezing and crackling in the next room. He stopped after a while.... now he is sleeping peacefully. He was quite dozy today and lethargic. Had a bit of troube convincing him to eat. If he is still like this in a few hours when he wakes up, mum is driving back down from Syd again and it's back to the vet again. Please keep praying for his recovery.

I havn't been sleeping much lately, my dog is ill at the moment, and currently in a bit of a relapse, after thinking he was getting better. I remain hopeful he will recover. So I have been awake, watching tv, checking on my boy, helping him when he wakes up gasping for breath and helping him settle under his blanket again. Iv'e been reading this thread the past 2 nights. I have just been crying for over half an hour. This story has touched me so much. It also has brought up many memories of my dear Jessy, who crossed the rainbow nearly 6 months ago. That was a hard desicion for me, as she was only 7 months old. I have struggled with guilt and uncertainty over that desicion ever since. I am certain she has 'visited' me and my dogs (her friend Kali who I think she tried to 'play' with one night... and King who she never met in the flesh.) I don't care if anyone thinks I'm an oddball for thinking this, I have my reasons for believing it. I watched my dogs react to an 'invisible' dog and I heard her running on the lino one night in the backroom. My cousin heard it too! I still feel her presence. The night after returning from the vet, I had a vision in my mind. I saw Jessy, standing at a river, cliffs along the side, bushland and forest. She had both a pinkish and bluish glo about her. She looked back over her shoulder at me, I felt a warm feeling and then I saw her run off down through the river and into the forest. It was a vision that only lasted a moment, however I have always remembered it. You may have lost a companion here.... but you have gained a new gaurdian angel. I still talk to Jessy, when I am troubled. Don't feel bad, ever for whatever you're emotions do. Let them be, feel whatever you need to. It does get easier. You're perspecttive on it all may shift as time goes on. There will be many moments of weakness. Take care of you'reself when they come. I can tell by you're words here that you're heart is much too big to allow Kal to be the last dog to enter you're life. There will be more yet for you to help. I believe there is a reason for everything we go through, even if you cannot see it now, Kal does see it I am sure. Keep eating well, get plenty of sleep and excersise. Cry, scream and do what you must, but remember that many people care for what you have been through. You don't know most of us, but we have been brought together by our love of dogs, and know that you're story of Kal has truly touched the hearts of so many, and it is a true inspiration to me, to see you're devotion to you're dog. Thankyou for proving to me, that people can be kind, and the world isn't such a depressing hopeless place at all.

Just a couple of things. With eggs... I used to feed them whole and raw into the food. Then I read somewhere (either the white or yolk, can't remember which) raw can stop the dog absorbing a certain vitamin. I can't find the info, but do a search on it and see what you find. Also NEVER let her eat avocado or chocolate. Royal canin baby dog, puppy etc large breed or giant. I havn't tried it but it is spose to be very good. I feed Eukanuba but am looking around for something else. It is a good food, but I want to switch to something organic. Be careful of her joints. She is very cute. However just from the pic (please don't take offence) she does look a little out of proportion, her back looks rather short. Keep an eye on her as she grows to make sure everything straightens out and that she develops properly. Good luck!

Hi An update on King. He had a check up today and the vet said he is doing much better. He expects him to make a full recovery. He may have some scarring in his lungs but probably not too much. If he ever catches a cough or cold again though I have to rush him to the vet, as he has an increased chance of pneumonia again now. But he has put on 3kg this week and is up to 45kg now. Once he is getting close to 50kg I am cutting his food back down a little. He has decided all by himself that he will let people know if he likes them by offering his paw and shaking hands. I taught him to shake hands, but I always had to ask him to. Now he just does it when he wants to who he wants! People are very impressed and he knows it :D He had about 20 people stop to admire him, pet him and talk to him today, in the space of 25 minutes while I was waiting for someone outside woollies. Now he is sleeping, it was his first outing in weeks. And King says a big thankyou to everyone who wished him well and was worried about him. To you, he offers his left paw

I am feeding the horse on weight lifter (just started) mixed with wheaten chaff. She also gets lucerne hay. I was advised to add half a cup of canola or veg oil to her feed each day till she has fattened. I am sure the weight lifter has pollard in it. It is a high protien feed. If it dosn't work though I will look at some of those ideas, I think she needs a biotin supplement for her feet. I have seen some but they are very expensive and no garrantee they will really do much for her now.

An update King relapsed a little bit over night, however he is still eating well and drinking and has some energy. It seems that the infection has moved back into his sinuses. I have a feeling that he has a virus and secondary infection, since he is on two strong anti-biotics. He is also on mucohexine for the mucous, norocarp and the main antibiotic he is on is clavulox (spelling?) There are a couple of other tablets, and he is going onto extra courses of medication even after the symptoms clear. I am still looking at supplements. There are so many. I am looking to see if a canine equivilent of sustagen exists? I am actually trying to get condition back onto a very old horse aswell and saw a couple of things that are for canine and equine. Thrive D was one. I will go and have another look.

He is getting a check up tomorrow, but he is really really good today. The vet is getting fresh home baked cookies tomorrow for himself and all the nurses.... and maybe a couple for the puppies

Well he is home! He is heaps better.... has his energy back so yes am really on my toes now! The antibiotic seems to be upsetting his tummy a bit, he has had the runs, and he also wet himself.... so I just spent a good how draining a lake from the loungeroom floor He is sleeping now though. I am going to ask a bit later in the forum about training issues. I hav'nt worried this week but when he gets over exited he likes to crash tackle me to the floor, and he did it 3 times tonight so he must be feeling better.

New update! King has had his chest x rays. The vets aid his lungs have improved slightly and he is now eating and drinking better on his own. He is still on the drip but he is improving slowly. All round he is alot better than he was when he went in. He is not out of the woods yet but so long as he keeps gettiing better each day, even a little bit I know he will recover. I am sure all the well wishes and love being sent to him is working. I spoke to a lovely lady today who works at a health food/new age store in town. She has some customers who come in that own ex-racing greyhounds, and she keeps a diary of what they have bought and used on their dogs and how well it worked. So she gave me some infomation, and made a note that when they come in she will give them my number so they can call me with advice. She suggested maybe bachflower remedies or Australian bushflower essences might help him. She also gaveme the number of a natural therapist who works on dogs. I am going to ask his vet about some of her suggestions. I would like to put him on a multi vitamin supplement for his immune system and maybe try some herbal or homeopathic remedies along with his medication to give him that bit extra to help him recover. I will talk to his vet to see what is safe with his medication. I am going to find out if olive leaf extract is safe for dogs. In humans it helps get rid of mucous, inflamation and is good for the respiritory system and for the gut. Garlic is also supposed to be good. I found some woolen blankets and material today at vinnies that I am going to make into coats for him. The vet said he might be comming home tomorrow! I am also taking another look at his diet. He has been on Eukanuba large breed puppy. I am in the Southern Highlands south of Sydney.

King in my old jumper 2 nights ago King and my rotty girl Kali about 3 months ago. He is 4 months, and she 12 months in this pic Kali is staying at my Dad's place still until King is well, can't let her catch this too!

Well the vet said he is a bit brighter today. He is over the dehydration and he ate all his breakfast which is really good. His chest still sounds really bad thoughs o they are going to do x-rays today and take it from there. I am hoping that now he has his appetite back and is getting enough fluids into him and medicine that he will get stronger day by day and his immune system will pick up so he can fight it and cough harder to get rid of the gunk. I am trying to think positive and look forward to having him strong and healthy again, so i can continue his education. He was doing so well too the poor thing. Iv'e been keeping my spirits up by thinking up some fun training games and things we can do together when he is well. I'm going to make him some warm jumpers and coats to to keep his chest warm for the rest of winter, it gets below zero here some nights, even inside with heating it's cold. Danes coats are not terribly warm in this weather I will get another update this afternoon.

He can be so very human like...... it's hard too because I know I feel as bad right now as anyone with a sick child in hospital and so many people don't understand that. So I really apreciate all the support from fellow furkid owners here! He had just been through an obedience course at the boarding place too and when I picked him up the trainers worked with me for hours before I took him home. We didn't know he would be so sick a few hours later, it only started taking hold toward the end of the day and I said I think he is tired and wants to get home. He coughed a little bit and I thought he may have picked up a cold. It didn't seem like much there. All the trainers loved him and hugged him goodbye. He aced his class and everyone was proud of him. He had been very hard to control before that and he had done so well, not perfect but I was so proud of how much he had learned. I was looking forward to taking him home, giving him a good nights sleep and a feed and then taking him out in the paddock the next day to go over his lessons. He is such a pleasure to walk now, and he has so much focus. Then all that exitement and joy just falls away as it dawns on you that you're dog won't even be getting out of bed without help. I called them the next day to let them know he was sick and they were all worried. I will ring them with an update tomorrow. I am guessing that a dog came in and coughed. Maybe next to King, maybe he got a bit stressed and run down. However he caught it dosn't matter now, all that matters is him getting well and comming home!

Here is the update. Late last night he crashed really bad, he was like a zombie, I noticed his chest sort of bouncing under the blanket and I ran over to check him. He was breathing heavier and his heart beat was going a bit funny. He was laying with his eyes open but I could get no response from him for ages. I called the vet at 3am ( I stayed up nearly all night) and he said he dosn't do house calls late at night, and I couldn't get him there myself. So I kept watch on him for another couple of hours until I couldn't stay awake anymore. I did manage to finally shift him to his night bed in my room (the old couch next to my bed). He woke up a few times vomiting and couphing up gunk. He seemed really scared, I had on Lord of the rings for us to watch in an effort to create a cherrier mood. He does actually watch tv often... and I stayed awake watching that. He kept getting up after that and wandering about dazed and I would have to get up and put him back to bed. His breathing got really bad around 6am. It sounded like he was blowing in a milkshake and he panicked. I got him to cough up more gunk and we finally slept till around 9am. My mum drove down from Sydney early and we took him to the vet. He has rediagnosed him with pneumonia. It is resistant to the antibiotic he was on so he is on a new one. He was dehydrated despite my efforts with the lectide and has been in hospital on the Iv drip all day. They have put 4 litres into him, and he is still dehydrated a bit but improving. The vet called me around 6pm tonight to let me know he has improved slightly. His breathing is a bit better, but he is still very sick and he cannot say one way or the other if he is going to make it. However if he gets a bit better tomorrow his chances will get better. He did eat a bit of food this morning and drank a bit on his own. I will report back tomorrow with another update. Thankyou everyone so much for caring, and for you're support it is helping me cope better ( He is my baby and I have been lost all day and crying) Keep those good thoughts heading his way. I have him with the best vet in the region and he is comefortable and has a radio on and reverse cycle air con all night. I never want to see a dog this sick again. I lost a dog to parvo once many years ago and that was horrid. This is almost as bad I am remaining positive though, he is a big strong boy and a lot of people love him dearly. This a pic of him when he was 9 weeks old, having a snooze on a hot afternoon with my rotty Kali.

Thankyou. His name is 'King' I might get them to pick up some slippery elm on their way down tomorrow. I can walk to the chemist, but I hate leaving him alone right now.

Hello Yes the vet is aware he isn't eating. Basically if he will not eat or drink by tomorrow morning he will go on the drip. I'm in a bit of an isolated spot where I live and his vet is about 30 minutes away. I don't have a car, but one of my parents is going to come down tomorrow and drive him up to the vet if I can't get him eating and drinking. He is on antibiotics, anti inflamitories and something like doggy panadol for his fever and pain. His cough is a little better but I'm sure his throat is still very sore. I am having success getting the lectide water into him with the squirty syringe. I also have a liquid food supplement I am feeding him the same way. He is just sleeping mostly today, so I will try with some soft food later and some water. I might try adding honey to the water. I think too that because his nose is blocked his sense of smell is highly impared which isn't helping. I will post updates as they come