silentchild

Hi all, Just wanted to create this thread to document my beautiful girl's current battle with cancer that unfortunately plagues so many of us. Throughout her life Emma has had many many different health problems, ranging from a broken leg, a torn cruciate, ear infections, UTI, benign tumours and more recently the removal of one eye after a melanoma was detected in it. Her current ordeal is by far the most challenging one we've had to overcome. About a month ago my 8 year old girl Emma started limping on and off on her left front leg. With the onset of winter and her arthritic condition we assumed it was simply arthritis acting up. We had her myotherapist out a few times to have a look but couldn't find anything wrong with her joints or muscles. A few weeks ago her limp got pretty bad so I decided to take her out to the vets to get an x-ray done. She was diagnosed with osteosarcoma with possible spreading to the lungs and the chest, but we were urged to get a second opinion. We then took her to a holistic vet who said the tumour within the bone did not look like osteosarcoma, but was confident the cancer had spread. We were then urged to get a third opinion. We also had a test done and with the results in, she was started on a treatment of naturopathic herbs and blends, which were supposed to give her a prognosis of about 6 months. We've also switched her over to a raw diet with lots of veggies as recommended and she is doing well on it. Today we took her to a specialist who also reckons it is osteosarcoma but again, is unsure if it has spread. We were given options of a CT scan, radiation and a course of chemotherapy treatments. Amputation was another option but we had already decided early on that is a no-go, simply because she has two bad back legs and would be a bad candidate for it. The prognosis is that she has about 3 months left to live, however the specialist has said that if we proceed with the radiation and chemo, we could extend that to about a year. We are still currently undecided about what to do, unsure if we should put our beautiful girl through all of the chemo and scans simply to buy a few more months, or to just keep her on the holistic route and hope for the best. I simply do not know what to do. Throughout this ordeal I have received tremendous support from the Rottweiler community here on DOL, for which I am truly grateful, but because I am still devastated and have a very hard time getting into the right frame of mind to reply all the wonderful emails and PMs I have received, I decided to start this thread so people can follow Emma's journey through the most difficult battle of her life. Here is my one of my favourite photos of my beautiful girl, my best friend and most loyal guardian whom I have been so fortunate to have in my life:

Mine stays inside and gets full run off the house, she's been trustworthy from the very beginning and has never destroyed anything. (I'm very very lucky to have her, I realize) If I put her outside she just sits at the door looking like her world has ended, so she stays inside & spends her hours sleeping in her bed or on the lounge until I come home. Nowadays she also has the cat for company although they both still just choose to sleep anyway and only play with each other when I get home. *rolls eyes* Some chew toys or a kong might be good to keep your gsd occupied if you're afraid she might get bored. Mine chews on her deer antler for hours!

Sorry for butting in here, but I'm curious - what's the difference in temperament between a WSS and a white GSD??

Usually before shows the exhibitors all look busy and stressed so I never ask to pat dogs before a show. After they have been in the ring if I want to pat a dog I always ask first. I was at a Royal once where I was standing back admiring a line of beautiful Dobes after they had been in the ring and the breeder came up to me with a smile so I asked if I could pat the dogs. She was happy to chat to me about them while I fawned over the beautiful creatures. I think for shows like the Royal where the public is so involved and up close with the dogs its important to be friendly and promote your breeds. I would totally understand if showies didn't want anyone near their dogs in smaller, more private or important shows though.

Just popping in here to give Bison some pats and well wishes and hoping that everything is going well with the treatment. :)

We rarely see anyone when we walk in the dark and our area is well-lit enough with street lights so that if we do see someone or a dog, we have plenty of chance to cross the road in order to avoid them. Sometimes it's so dark my dog herself can't see a stray cat slink up right underneath her nose! (this has happened multiple times!) Edit : Sometimes we also fasten those flashing light things on her collar.And her coat has reflective light strips.

We walk in the dark, with a torch. The dark doesn't bother me much in winter, but the cold sure does!!!!!!!!!!! I hate coming home from work to get comfy in front of the fire with a hot meal...... and then have to go out again into the freezing cold. Blargh winter, go away! Some evenings my dog gives me the stink eye when I ask her to go for a walk.. she's all curled up in a ball and warm in front of the fireplace and then when I get her leash she looks at me then turns her back on me, "Oh do we haaave to walk!??! I'm sleeping!!!" In summer as soon as I look at the leash she's by the door wagging her tail. Once we're out the door she's happy again tho. :D It's just the initial moaning and groaning that we both have to go through, hahaha.

I talk to my girl all the time.. when I get home from work, I greet her, "Hello darling, have you peed yet? What did you do today? Did you miss me?" etc etc. I have full-on conversations with her all the time, "Do you want to come cuddle with mummy?" "Watch out, you're gonna get in trouble!" "Aww baby, do you want some attention?" "No, it's not for you!! It's my dinner!!" "Would you like some sardines tonight?" "You smell, you need a bath!" etc etc and more, to which she responds by looking at me like I'm loony in varying degrees, or offering me her paw, which is her default response to EVERYTHING.

1) Food sounds ok, like everyone else has said you don't want her to be fat, lean is best. If she looks around for more it doesn't mean she needs more, otherwise my dog would be eating forever! :laugh: 2) Exercise sounds good, also as she is still fairly young remember to try to not be too hard on her bones as they might be still developing. I personally probably would start with obedience training first instead of agility, and go into agility only once you have her good and obedient and more developed. 3) Turn around and ignore her when she jumps on you, completely ignore her, don't even give her eye contact. Once she sits, then you can greet her, heap on praise, rewards, etc etc. 4) She may feel safe and secure with you and possibly a little stressed in her new environment, that could be why she follows you around. That being said, some dogs are very velcro-like in personality - I don't really see it as anything too bad, I like a dog that follows me around, but that's just me. 5) Spraying water won't do any good if she doesn't understand what you want her to do, I recommend training. 6) My dog poos about 1-2 times a day, but it differs for different dogs and diets, like others have said she is possibly stressed. 7) Not unless you do not want her under the table. 8) Panting is normal, especially if it's hot / just after exercise / she is stressed. If she is panting very excessively and non-stop, it might be a good idea to ask your vet. 9) Yes take her to the vet, check up is always a good idea and prices can vary from vet to vet. 10) You can do pet insurance now. Good luck and remember your breeder is always a good point of contact. And yes, pictures! :D

This is a tough one! I love so many! Toy : Pomeranian Small : Corgi Medium : Dalmatian, Aussie Shepherd, Irish Setter Large : White Shepherd, Dobermann Giant: Bernese Mountain Dog, Saluki

Oh the fences are up?! Fantastic!! I have been waiting for that so I can go back with Emma. Dyzney is right, we stayed there last year(?) if I remember right and Emma loved it. My Emma is very dog-reactive but whilst we were there we only met a few other people and was able to keep well away from other dogs. We were there for a week and only once did we cross paths with someone else and their dog when we were up at the office, but Emma was on a leash and the other people slipped their dog on a leash too when they saw us, so we were able to pass with minimum fuss (and a lot of pulling and jumping on my part!) The bush walks were quiet so we were able to walk Emma off-leash through the bush - she had an absolute blast sniffing every rock and tree and leaf!! It's the only place I would be confident enough to let her off-leash on walks as I can see there are no other people or dogs around from a distance so if I see anyone I just slip her back on leash. Like Dyzney, when I went to the common areas I never saw anyone else around so Emma was able to have a run and play freely. We stayed in the igloo and the mattresses were very comfortable for me. :laugh:

Oh too cute!!!!!!! What lovely babies! Congratulations!

Dalmatian White Shepherd Doberman Collie (long-haired) Husky Coming in close are also Irish Setters and Salukis.

I'm so sorry to hear, my thoughts are with you and Zedley.

"As long as people will shed the blood of innocent creatures, there can be no peace, no liberty, no harmony between people. Slaughter and justice cannot dwell together." —Isaac Bashevis Singer If you're an animal lover and you like happy endings, this story isn't for you. At least not quite yet, but I'm hoping it will be. Because right now, this is a story of human cruelty and greed, and of bloodlust powered by high technology and administrative ignorance. It's about people acting worse than the animals they abuse—foreigners who take advantage of lax law enforcement, the despicable countrymen who help them, the dog breeders who sell animals to their death, and the perverts worldwide who bet on online dog fights and make scumbags rich. On the other end of the spectrum, there are the animal welfare groups in the Philippines, underfinanced, overworked organizations that have been scrambling desperately to right a shocking wrong. There are the volunteers of the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), young folk who run to the animal shelter after work or school to pick up dog poo, scrub under filthy cages, mix basins of dog food and dog vitamin tablets that have to be crushed to make sure there's enough to go around, and stay awake through the night to make sure the IVs of the weaker dogs continue to drip. Fight to the death Last Dec. 2, Cavite authorities raided an online dog fighting ring in a warehouse in Indang, Cavite, and rescued 246 pit bulls, many of them undernourished and badly wounded, but still being primed to fight to the death. "There was an ongoing dog fight when our group and the police arrived at the scene," recounts Greg Quimpo, center manager and program coordinator of the animal welfare group Animal Kingdom Foundation (AKF). "Inside the pit within the warehouse, three dogs are made to fight simultaneously until a winner stands alone. There are at least 20 salvos a day—that is, 60 dogs fighting, for five hours. They hold fights three times a week or more, as per the dog handlers' account." Cases for violation of the Animal Welfare Law and illegal gambling, as well as for using fake names, were filed against the Koreans, reports AKF legal counsel and trustee, lawyer Heidi Marquez Caguioa. Still, "The penalties are very light," says Caguioa. "For PD 1602, the penalty is imprisonment of six months and one day to six years." Violators of RA 8485 face a pathetic sentence of six months to two years' imprisonment or a measly fine of P1,000 to P5,000, or both. And then, the bad news: "The offenses are all bailable. We expect that the Koreans will post bail eventually." The day after the raid, other animal welfare advocates rushed to the scene. Compassion and Responsibility for Animals (Cara) and PAWS supporter Maria Parsons and Nena Hernandez of Cebu's Island Rescue Organization (IRO) found empty medicine packs and bottles strewn all over the area—steroids, antihistamines, antibiotics. They also made a chilling discovery. "The dumpsite-cum-grave site of the dogs in Indang was horrifying," Parsons recounts. "There were two open pits at the back of the property, hidden by tall grass. The contents of the pits made me physically sick. There were dogs in various stages of decomposition; skeletal remains and piles of fur were peeking out from under vegetation, and trash probably thrown there to hide the pits. The dogs were being pumped with medication to stay healthy—then dumped like garbage after they were killed. PAWS volunteers even found a newly dead dog thrown by the side of the warehouse's driveway. Of the 246 dogs, a few had to be euthanized immediately because they were in a bad state, and the provincial veterinary officer of Cavite had several dogs adopted out, until animal welfare groups asked for a moratorium on adoptions until the dogs had been rehabilitated. Last Dec. 9 and 10, Friday and Saturday, the remaining 69 dogs arrived in two batches at the PAWS Animal Rehabilitation Center (PARC) in Quezon City, as the responsibility for the dogs has now somehow landed squarely in PAWS' lap, and the organization is scrambling to manage. Volunteers worked round the clock to settle the dogs in and check which ones needed immediate medical attention. Metal rectangles "The dogs have arrived," PAWS executive director Anna Cabrera announced somberly at around 9 that Saturday night, as headlights shone onto the shelter driveway. I had come over to donate a few bags of dog food, and I just couldn't leave. The earlier batch of 30 dogs had been kept in their original cages, long metal rectangles divided into small compartments; some of the dogs couldn't quite stand straight, and the bigger ones had to be transferred to individual cages. A few were on IVs, and looked weak. I walked among the cages, and was followed by the sad eyes of dogs with terrible wounds, infected ears and eyes, swollen legs, missing nails and emaciated bodies. Still, many wagged their tails weakly when people came to scratch their heads. Then, when the next batch of 39 arrived, it was all hands on deck. Huge flatbed trucks unloaded wooden treadmills that looked like medieval implements of torture, on which these fighters were whipped into precarious shape. Pieces of plastic matting were covered in dog excrement. Then finally, underneath large sheets of tarpaulin, the precious cargo—dogs that had just endured two hours of traffic from Cavite, some howling piteously, some barking, some cowering in fear. "What now?" many seemed to be asking with their eyes, tails between their legs, open wounds oozing. It was heartbreaking. In the darkness and the rain, the volunteers got to work. The dogs were unloaded from the flatbed trucks one by one by the accompanying PAWS volunteers and some manpower lent by supporters—carpenters, drivers, handymen. Each dog was carried or walked from one cage to another; the weaker ones were put on IV and brought straight to the clinic. Tina Agbayani, a mom and veritable McGyver, bought and attached floodlights to a lamppost to illuminate the open area. Tireless volunteer Daisy Medel and PAWS shelter vet Dr. Wilford Almoro did the rounds, ranking the dogs according to medical priority—3 for "looks okay," 2 for so-so, 1 for "I have to see this dog now," in the words of Doc Wil. Later, Tina decided we should clean the plastic matting, and we scrubbed off feces for the next hour. For the next few days, the regular volunteers fed and watered dogs and cleaned cages twice a day, and slept very little. They're still at it. Yes, they're doing it all for these "bad dogs." And the bad dogs are becoming more gentle by the day. I was almost in tears when PAWS shelter administrative officer Cha Laxamana entered a cage to fix a dog's tangled IV tube—and the dog gently licked the side of her face, closing its eyes as she scratched its ears. The next day, I passed the hat at work for the pit bulls, and someone gasped, "What? Aren't those bad dogs?" Let's get this straight, once and for all: There is no such creature as a dog born bad. "As a rule, each breed has its own combination of drives and general purpose," says PAWS director and professional dog trainer Elsie Araneta. "Barring organic problems, if they are all given sufficient exercise and mental stimulation, and have a clear line of communication with their committed leader, they should all do very well." Human manipulation Dogs turn bad because of upbringing, conditioning and human manipulation to create animals with a high tendency for aggression. This is why the pit bull has become the most notorious and maligned breed of the 21st century. Look behind any of the reported pit bull attacks all over the world, however, and you will likely see a history of cruelty, neglect or irresponsible handling. The best-case scenario, Cabrera says, is "all animal welfare groups getting a group of dogs each and working with them, and they all get behaviorally rehabilitated." "But it's going to be very hard," says Araneta. "It's taking a huge, huge toll on PAWS, which has become mainly responsible for them. A lot of people have donated, but we need a lot more. The magnitude of the need is way off the scale." "Although our main concern now is the welfare of the dogs, the legal aspect is at the back of our minds," says Parsons. "This is an international crime involving two governments, because the betting and the database are in South Korea, where dog fighting and betting are illegal. "The Koreans said they didn't know it was illegal here, which is impossible. They came here because they thought they could get away with it." The South Korean embassy hasn't issued any statement on the matter. Not a backyard operation Neither is it a small backyard operation; the warehouse was being rented at P100,000 a month, and was on the seventh month of an eight-month lease, reports Parsons. Also, the facility had been granted a permit to operate as a dog farm, Cabrera says—which is still illegal, because a farm means you're growing dogs for meat, and dog-eating is a crime in the Philippines. I do believe the six Koreans caught in Indang will get away, and the Philippine government will let them. But I especially want to know about the Filipinos who enabled them, the traitors who threw open the doors of their country to this abomination for a few bucks, and I want to know what the Philippine government is going to do about them, no matter how low or high in society they stand. I want to know if they're parents, and how they can let helpless creatures tear up each other's flesh, then go home and kiss their kids, like they were normal, decent people. I wonder what kind of karma the universe has waiting for their children because of their parents' crimes. There's a lot I want to know. But right now, I try to be content knowing the pit bulls are eating and sleeping well, and there are humans, God bless them, trying to do right by the dogs. In the meantime, I'll clean up dog poo—and pray. PAWS still desperately needs help in the form of money as well as brushes, buckets, extension wires, detergent, plywood, high-pressure hoses, as well as medicines such as doxycycline antibiotic (100 mg), Liv 52 and liver supplements like Silymarin and Liveraide, multivitamins, and silver sulfadiazene ointment for wounds. They also need additional volunteers to help feed the dogs and clean up. For directions to PARC, bank account numbers for donations and other information, visit the PAWS website at www.paws.org.ph or call 4751688. SOURCE: Philippine Daily Inquirer, GMA News (with news footage) So so sad, omg.

I don't mind my dog licking me, but she's not a very big licker anyway and she only licks my face only every once in a blue moon, so it's a bit of a nice surprise when she does give me kisses. That being said, she loves licking hands and could lick them all day long if I'd let her...

Well to be fair that photoshoot was taken a long time ago, so the crate would've been packed up and shipped off to the warehouse by now. :D If you really did want to know the diameter, I'll see if I have time during my lunch break to traipse out to the warehouse to try and find it for you. EDIT : I just had to go out there anyway to do something else so I took a look... the wire diameter is 3mm but the thicker wire that forms the frame of the crate is 4mm. (if my crappy measuring skills are to be trusted! )

Oh, I think I know which one you are talking about, LOL. Ngl, those are pretty flimsy. (I'm actually surprised they didn't offer you a replacement! Normally we do offer that it it's damaged upon arrival). The ones Dxenion are talking about are from a different supplier though, and the wires are thicker / more sturdy. It's also a different style of door latch so it shouldn't have that pin sticking out problem. Although I reckon a determined enough escape artist pup would be able to learn how to undo the latch and let themself out!

I work there lol and I personally set up that crate for the photos to be taken... :D Quality-wise it's decent, but I don't recommend you carrying it by the handles with the dog inside the crate... the handles if I remember right are plastic like vebo's so you run the risk of them coming off especially if your dog is heavy. (Then again it's common sense not to carry any crate around with a dog still inside it anyway...) I would say it's decent quality if you just want to have it for home or carry it around to a few places like on holidays or something. If you find it breaks or anything within the warranty period just send it back and we'll replace it or refund you. Although I'd get something more durable if you would be constantly taking it with you on multiple shows, trials, heavy duty stuff etc. Hope that helps!

Oh no, I'm so sorry, I have been following this thread and reading the updates, such a tragic turn. My heart goes out to you Sway.

My dog stays inside, she's only let out into the yard with supervision as the neighbour's dog is quite nutty and will jump and bark and lunge at our fence and it drives my girl crazy. She does perfectly fine indoors, I am very lucky that she is not destructive at all. She has plenty of toys, things to chew, fresh water etc etc but she is never interested and is more happy to snooze away all day in her bed until we come home. She's never ever chewed anything or done anything she shouldn't have, so we rarely, if ever, come home to a guilty-looking dog and fluff. :D Lavendergirl, deer antlers are great chews and they last ages. Emma also used to have Nylabones which she loves to bits. Frozen kongs with kibble / treats stuffed in them also make great long-lasting toys to keep your dog occupied for hours. (altho Emma is quite pathetic and gives up on her kong far too quickly!) Just some ideas.

Oh my word, Stolz, too cute...!! I'll have the lot! Good to see they are growing well!!

So good to hear the pups and mum are doing well, Stolz. As for the names, I can't think of any good suggestions but I just wanted to say that I love 'Great Gatsby'!! umm... Gone With The Wind?? haha

So happy to hear the wonderful news!!!!!! Just fantastic!!!! I believe this calls for a celebration!! :D So happy for you and the owners Stolz, here's to wishing CJ a very safe and healthy delivery to a very special litter!

Would it be possible to get the police to maybe dust for fingerprints around the gate latches, fences etc? A little drastic, but maybe they might be able to find something?