Sahla

RoxynHemi - I can certainly relate to what you are saying as I had another Golden Pup before Sahla. Marley was 3/4 months old when she passed away from a neurological condition and I was devastated as I took her to Melbourne for testing on her brain, spent thousands of $$$ on her and nursed her day and night through her short life. I didn't think I could get another dog (even though I'd only had Marley for a short period of time, but I'd also had another lab die 11 days before I got Marley) because of the pain that I'd endured, but then I started looking for Sahla a month after Marley passed away (I was even talking to her breeder when I was overseas on a holiday!! ). This time I'm not sure that I can do it. I think in time (as in a few years time) we will look at getting another Golden, but I'd really like for her to come from the same breeder as I think she is the most dedicated breeder that there is and has been so fantastic with us before during and after we got Sahla. I'd also like to move house as I can't help but feel that there's something wrong with this one since three out of four of my dogs have died here in 2 years!! We still have our 19 month old chocolate lab (2 days younger than Sahla), and we're keeping a very close eye on him!!

Thanks LabTested. I'm just so sad. We've had a very emotional and expensive weekend, with Sahla passing away and then I crashed my OH's car into my brand new car last night! FML at the moment!! ;)

Thank you all again for your kind words and poems to bring me comfort. Erinonthefarm - We are going to look at getting one of those vibration things as we still have a choc lab (a very depressed one now) who we want to keep safe. The only problem apparently is that if the snake is still around then it will not leave the property. We've checked the yard four times though and not seen anything. Sahla must have been so unlucky. Did your vet confirm that it was snake bite? Did you see the snake? We're not 100% sure that it was a snake, although the next door neighbours do have chooks. WendyH - Yes I was and still am absolutely devastated as she wasn't sick at all and was only 19 months old. I remember thinking that it wasn't real and that she was going to get up so I kept screaming her name at her expecting her to get up Cazablanca - No the first dog (lab X called Lucy) died of perhaps heat exhaustion as we got her from the pound and my ex used to run every day with her. She was also not desexed and was bleeding from her vulva (not on heat though). We were never too sure of her age so she may have been older than we initially thought. The second pup was a golden retriever (Marley) who we got one month after Lucy died. She was 6 weeks old when we got her and she passed away when she was 3 months old due to a neurological problem. She went blind and was circling. We've never had any deifinte answers about either of these dogs either though. Toofarnorth - Pancho is so depressed. We have been trying to take him for walks and swimming as he loves to do this, but it's hard without Sahla and makes me cry not having her there. It's nice to have him around though, just sad not to see his little friend next to him. I'm dreading going back to work and leaving him here on his own. I'm going to the pet shop soon to get him some food toys to keep him busy. Poor fella Rex - I know you get it. I really just can't believe that this has happened so soon! The vet needed some urine from Sahla, but she didn't have any to test. I need to call her again tomorrow to ask more questions if I can talk when I hear her voice on the end of the phone. She has dealt with all three of my dogs that have passed in the last two years. Like GG85 said all of you go nd give your babies a hug as we never know when they will be taken away from us. I never expected Sahla to go away so soon. I'd planned to spend the next 10+ years with her.

Thank you all for your comments. This is my third dog to die in 2 years. I'm ready to sell my house and leave!! We still have Pancho (choc lab born two days after Sahla) but he's staying inside with me for the next couple of days!! I was upset when the last two died, but Sahla is by far my favourite dog. My family all say that she is a mirror image of me and my personality and that if I was a dog I'd be Sahla. She followed me around and laid on my feet, always wanted a pat. I feel the pain of losing her so much more than the others even. She wasn't sick and my biggest fear always was that a snake might get her and it looks as though this is what has happened I did everything for her by the book. I'm also upset that I haven't seen her since Wednesday and I can't even remember what she was doing when I saw her last or what I even said to my baby girl. I can't get another dog ever as no other dog will ever be able to live up to my Sahla who was a delight right from the beginning. Sorry I'm probably not in a good state of mind to writing right now.

I'm just devastated and I don't even know if I can even believe what's happened! I went away fro two nights to help with the floods in Kerang Victoria and came home this afternoon to find my baby girl laying lifeless around the corner of my house!! Sahla was a 19 month old Golden Retriever who had no health issues and had only been to the vet a month ago for her check up! The vet who conducted her autopsy and the autopsies of my other two dogs (8 year old Lab Lucy, 3 month old Golden Retriever Marley) in the last two years told me that her results have come back clear so she can only assume that she was bitten by a snake. I'm absolutely horrified to think that this happened to my baby whilst I was not here to be able to protect her like any good Mum should have been. She was the most loving dog and just lived for people and the love that she could give and receive from them. I miss her like crazy and feel immense guilt over her passing. I'm finding it hard ot let her go as she wasn't even sick. RIP baby girl, mummy wishes she could change this and you could be nudging me to get off the computer and pat you right now.

Sorry 1st of November Ohhhh I misread.......in that case thats only a week away. You would of thought then if she had an ultrasound at 4 weeks, then they would of saw something if she was pregnant. In the Golden Retriever thread this happened as well with one of the breeders. We were actually counting down to her due date and we thought she was in labour only to find out it was a phantom pregnancy (or she had reabsorbed the pups) even after she had been tested as positive previously at the vets.

Serket - You sound like you know Gypsy pretty well and appear to have a good grip on her behaviours!! I think you just need to keep doing what you've been doing and Gypsy will turn out just fine!! She's a lucky puppy to have someone like you to careso much about her..... have you ever thought that she may be just trying to return that love and can't get close enough to you?? (That was a joke by the way before it too gets misconstrued!!)

Does anybody else have ANY suggestions? I thought that this may have been a pretty common problem.

Argh I hope not!! Can my other pup catch this from her?

Hello everybody, My 19 week old GR pup has had sores on her chest with scabs for the few days - week. I've been speaking to a vet nurse who recommended putting warm salty water on it to help clear it up. I've been doing this every day and I'd say most of the scabs have gone, but now I can see pimple like bumps on her chest with little bits of puss. They don't seem to be worrying her, but they don't look too nice and she also has been a little bit smelly lately (part of being a growing pup??). We also have a 19 week old chocolate lab pup and they are constantly play fighting. At first I thought that it could have been due to him that she had these scabs/sores, but now I think they look more like mites or some kind of bites or irritation. The lab does not have any scabs/sores at all. I used Advocate on her about two weeks ago and she hasn't been bathed for a few weeks now (maybe three??). I've booked in for her to see the vet on Saturday morning, but just thought I'd see if anyone else might be able to offer some suggestions. Sorry the photos are not very good!! This one mostly just shows the scabs in her fur (some bumps in the bottom left hand corner)

TLC - This is hillarious!!!!! What a great idea! Well done on getting your pups/dogs to master that!!

I just saw the vet about my Golden Retriever who is having issues with diarrhoea and he said to me that it was normal to see a small amount of blood if they have been straining whilst doing their business. I would probably go and see the vet just to make sure, or even give them a call and discuss it with them!! Good luck!!!

Hi Addicted2Gold and Goldielover!!! Lovely to see you on here (have to admit that Cass did help me to post the message...). No she hasn't been outside apart from when I'm with her and anything that goes into her mouth I quickly grab out (bit paranoid!!). Pancho and Sahla eat separately as well so no I can't see how she could've had any of his food. She's still eating, drinking, running around and playing with toys it's just the diarrhoea. I still think that it may be a normal settling in thing (it is like a soft stool but with more liquid around it and a bit worse today than other days) but I wanted it checked out by a vet (given my previous experience). The vet has given her some Scourban 100ml to try to clear it up, but if it doesn't clear up inthe next couple of days then she will go off this for a couple of days and then we will do tests on her stool (if you can call it that!). I tried to call you today Goldielover to see what you thought, but then I remembered that you are back at work after all of the hard work!!! So Cass showed me how to use this forum here!! Fingers crossed the meds will work - she liked it at first and sat for me waiting as if it was a treat...... she wasn't so keen for the second syringe though! I can see a battle on my hands!!

Are you? I ask because milk will cause diarrhoea in a lot of puppies. Sorry Miranda I missed your comment. No I'm not giving her anything apart from water and Artemis dry puppy food. Nothing else at all.

Thanks First Time Puppy!!! You have been so supportive and have made me feel so much better. I will let you know what the vet says!