PATTY AND I would like to thank all of you for your kind messages, concerning ERVING. It is great to know that there are so many dog lovers in the world. They give so many smiles to so many humans. We are both grieving today. We live on a farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and got six inches of snow last night. We are telling ERVING stories and tryng to remember the good times. We had him cremated, because we could not handle picking up hs body. We will bury his ashes in the meadow named after him(ERVNG'S MEADOW). Thanks again.
love,
Bill and Patty

Poor you, I'm sorry to hear that. Torsion is a horrid thing, and completely unpredictable.

I have just joined the forum. I live in London and last January my GSD was operated on for two ruptured discs. This was originally diagnosed as CDRM. He was knuckling and showing all the signs. However, I was not happy and was willing to hold on to the l% chance that it was another condition. After much surfing of the internet I found a very good neurosurgeon at the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket. She did certain tests including an MRI which showed he had these two ruptured discs which would also cause knuckling. She carried out major surgery on the discs and Rocky had a three month recuperation period. No walks for one and then only five minute walks daily. Two months into a very successful recuperation after surgery I returned from work to find Rocky not at all well. I thought that he had picked up the bug that my border collie had had the day before. After being with him for about five minutes I felt that it was something more. Telephoned our vet who saw him as an emergency 10 minutes later. She diagnosed a GDV (torsion) stopped her clinic and operated immediately. He had a 180 degree twist. He was very lucky as no other organs were affected as it was caught so quickly and so nothing had to be removed. This all took place 10 months ago. We are so very very lucky he is a wonderful dog and will be 10 this year. Some of us are not that lucky and even our vet has lost one of his own dogs to a GDV. However, what concerns me was that Rocky did not sustain this after excess excercise as he was still recovering from spinal surgery. We have always been careful not to walk until at least an hour after eating. I don't think that anyone really can give a cause for the problem but all we can do is follow any useful hints with regard to food, eating etc. and be vigilant.

POOR ROCKY. What a rotten year. He's a very lucky dog to have such caring owners to nurse him through all of that.

Dear Bill and Patty

I was so very sorry to see that you lost Erving after all. Our sympathies are with you. There isn't a lot anyone can say to you but be glad that he was with you, not sad that he has gone.

Love & best wishes
Margot & the mob