It won't take long to get another companion to Aris and me. I'm looking into it as we speak. One thing I learned being a dog parent for long is that the best way to fight grief is to substitute as soon as possible. And I think Aris would agree! This evening I'm going to visit this doggy below which is up for adoption and looks very much like my unlucky Sissy

Lara the Sheltie mix might have a new home soon!

Buford, I can't help wondering whether there was an error with the anesthesia.

Oh, Nik and Aris, my heart aches for you. I had the exact same thing happen to me once. Took a young, apparently healthy, mixed breed dog to be spayed and she died from an unsuspected heart issue while under anesthesia. I was helped by knowing she had a great life the short time she was with me and by knowing she was not in pain.

I pray God eases your sorrow, prevents Aris from sliding into a deeper depression and blesses you both with another fur person to share your lives - - maybe 2! And that you won't be afraid to spay/neuter your new family member. Peace to you both, and may God open your roses today to release their sweet perfume.

Thank you Holly your words are soothing. I called home to talk to my partner and she was in tears. I'm sure Aris would be also if he knew. He really liked her. I'm looking for a bitch already spayed.... Lara, which I linked to above and I have already talked to the lady who's temporarily looking after her is about 3 yrs old and already spayed.

Just to add that there is no shortage of dogs up for adoption over here... The financial troubles have 'helped' with that.

..Lara has the most beautiful eyes and such an intelligent look... I wish you all the best....

..I also question the amount of anaesthetic used... we have a Greyhound and the dose for these is not the same as for other breeds... it seems not all vets are aware.. and we have to be very careful...

Yes, I agree. Sometimes with mixed breeds, you don't know all the genetic predispositions because you don't have all the genetic information. Same is true for cats. I currently am owned by a little black Pugdog, and I always research breed - specific responses to all meds, vaccines, flea/tick treatments. My vet is so good at handling my somewhat paranoid questions. I would much rather try the patience of the vet than hurt my Pugdog!

Lara looks like such a good dog! Plus, she's already spayed! She will need you and Aris to help her over her grief at being given away and she can help you and Aris with your grief. Sounds like a win/win solution!

Marlorena, I suspect something has gone wrong with sloppily weighting her. I left her with a friend of mine at the vet as I had to go to work. Before she was operated on she was weighted. There's no way she would have been 17kilos heavy although last time I weighted her she was quite younger and smaller. She was just so smaller than Aris who's about 30 kilos. I think somebody messed up but there's no point in trying to find out and it's not worth it either. I have been patronizing these vets for some time and I had no particular complaints. They had been extra cautious with everything. But I will think about changing now.

Holly, This 'She will need you and Aris to help her over her grief at being given
away and she can help you and Aris with your grief. Sounds like a
win/win solution!' was so nice to hear.

I am glad you are looking for another companion for Aris and yourself. Lara looks lovely and as you say, it will be a win/win solution for Lara, you and Aris.

I have always had St Bernard's, which have a pretty short lifespan, but as I always tell people, they are here for a good time, not a long time. You have given Sissy her good time.

The one and only pic of poor Sissy I have. This is the pic that lured me into adopting her. She must have been about 3-4 months old in this pic.

What a sweetie!

And this is the Golden family during happier times. Aris is on the left. Boubis on the right and Irma have gone and the place looks nothing like this (this actually looks better now)

Aris when younger

Lara looks beautiful and sweet.

They look very happy & playful together. Aris is very handsome. I love golden retrievers too and it was a toss up when we bought our first dog. My son & daughter in law are in the process of looking at GRs now they are ready to become pet parents.

ozmelodye, feel free to ask me anything you want about Goldens. I have had at least one Golden for longer than I care to remember.

So sorry to hear this. She was adorable. :(

Nik, I'm so sorry for all your losses. We lost an older dog last summer to bladder cancer, and thought we would wait a bit before getting another dog. I couldn't stand not having a dog, though, so within a couple of weeks we adopted our current dog. She was two years old and her former 'owner' had died. She is so sweet, smart and loving, I think we helped her heal, just as she helped us.

Lara looks very wise. Good luck!

Virginia

When you get Lara (or another dog), please post pictures of her and Aris - we would love to see them together. So glad you are getting another dog -

Jackie

I'll make sure I'll do. Thank you all for your kind and supportive words.

I had a talk with the vets. They say everything looked fine during the operation, she was on the monitor with heart beats and oxygen level normal and while they were stiching her up the heart beat suddenly stopped. From 98bpm it went directly to 0. They say it was a heart arrest. They say weight measurement was accurate and they double checked that after death. They don't believe that the anesthesia drug had anything to do with this but they are worried that the relaxant drug that they are using before anesthesia might have caused it in case some heart condition already existed. They say the drug has been a bit suspect in the vet community for some time and there is a lack of full research on its sideffects but it is the only one available to vets in Greece. Don't know the name of that drug and I'm not in the mood to research this further. The lady vet was sobbing when she was talking to me so I didn't want to stress her more. They refused payment for the procedure.

PS On the positive side, Lara and her foster parent are going to visit me this weekend. They (both) want to check me and the place out I believe. Let's hope they find all to their liking (including Aris).

I'm very sorry for you losses, Nik, but you are certainly not at fault. It seems like Sissy probably had some kind of heart defect and there was no way you could have known that. Even if you had not taken her to the vet she probably would not have lived a long life anyway. Please do not blame yourself.

I'm so sorry, Nik. Sissy looked like a wonderful little dog, so sweet and full of fun. I don't doubt that your golden, Aris, will miss her tremendously and so will you.

I couldn't help but notice that Sissy looked like a herding mix of some kind. Do you suppose that she carried one or two copies of the MDR 1 gene? <http://www.vetstreet.com/dr-marty-becker/multidrug-sensitivity-what-you-need-to-know>; For more information you can read about it on the Washington State website.

This is common in some herding breeds and causes dogs to be more sensitive to certain drugs. Here in the USA, many vets use acepromezine as part of their anesthesia regimen. My old vet did and one of my old Aussies had a problem recovering from the anesthesia after a simple surgery. It affected her for the rest of her life. Now all my dogs are tested and my Sheltie, Yatta (rhymes with hurrah) carries this gene. My new vet, a Sheltie owner herself, is well aware of the connection and routinely substitutes other drugs for the problematic ones. Not every vet knows about this.

I hope that you will let us know when you adopt a new dog and post the picture here. Lara looks like an excellent choice. I might be a little prejudiced though, since I'm a foster home for Sheltie rescue here.

Looks like you posted while I was writing. It seems even more likely that drug sensitivity was the cause.

I detest Acepromazine. Dalmatians don't metabolize it well, and Boxers don't ... and the good Lord only knows what other breeds don't.

So very sorry! I hope you and your dog find comfort.

Yes indeed Sissy had many signs of shepherd breed blood in her. Apart from the quite obvious face characteristics you might have noticed in the pic, she had the distinct posture of a Greek Shepherd (Or Greek Sheepdog), walking with the head low and the hind high, looking up at you without raising the head, and often using the shepherd nip (a light nip or pinch with the front teeth with the mouth almost closed, similar to what a dog would use on itself to scratch for flees) which these dogs use on sheep. Of course she was one fourth the size of one.

Good to know about this MDR1 issue although there's not much one can do about it over here but worry... Lara has obvious shephard blood in her also. I talked to the vet about this, they didn't know the particular MDR-1 connection but they told me some drugs carry a notice about being used on shepherd breeds. However they say they did not use either acerpromezine or butorphanol on Sissy. In any case she says the test is not available in Greece. I will forward them the below link for their perusal

WSU Page

I'm so so sorry for your loss.

Im very sorry for your loss. I do have to say though, while it easy to try and look for a single drug that causes an issue, thats usually not the case. If they are being maintained on gas, the initial drugs given may have nothing to do with it, and it may just be the overall plane of anesthesia was too deep. Or there can be a blood clot that has formed at the surgery site or in a heart chamber (like from a defect) and when the patient is moved or rolled it can break free and cause a sudden embolism to occur or patient can even have an allergic reaction to one of the medications...there so many possibilities... even with a postmortem you cant always tell. But to say, well its probably from acepromazine, or well its the dexdormitor, its usually more complex than that. Try not to read this thread and think "wow i hope my vet never uses that drug" because ace can be a great drug when used appropriately.

Dear Nik, I was so sad to read about what you've gone through. Any of us who have lost dogs, often more than one, like you, know the heartbreak and sadness it causes. I'm glad you have your lovely new dog to look forward to, she looks like a sweetheart and fortunately has the spaying part behind her. I'll keep my fingers crossed that you'll be able to call her your own soon. I'm sure you'll be approved because it's so obvious that you love your dogs with all your heart. She's going to be a lucky little girl and I hope she'll help you and your remaining dog to heal from these traumatic events. Let us know what happens, please, you are in all our thoughts.

Nik I am so sorry to hear this and my heart is breaking for your loss. What happened to Sissy is so utterly tragic, especially as you were being a good owner and having her spayed. Sadly your time together was short, but do take some consolation in the fact that you rescued her and gave her a happy life while she was with you. I am sure that you gave her your best and hopefully when she passed she was not in pain. I do hope that a new rescue pup will help ease your sadness and fill you and Aris with joy. Dogs have the kindest spirits and you have another angel looking over you now.

So very sorry :(

Niki, I always worry about the anesthesia. I have cats, not dogs, but there is one vet in the practice I go to that I will not allow to touch my cats. She did a teeth cleaning on one of my previous cats and the poor thing came home blind and deaf. Her sight came back, but not her hearing. Every time I call and they ask which vet I want to see I say anyone but ......

Ah my dear, thoughts are with you. It seems like our furry friends never stay long enough no matter how long they are here. I've said good bye to so many pals over the years and it never gets any easier. Best wishes for you as you look for the new member of your family. Wrap them in love and give them a happy life and you will both be blessed.

There are many possible causes of death during surgery, from drug reactions to undiagnosed pre-existing conditions. Most of the latter can be determined in an autopsy. Reactions to drugs can often be identified on site; tho the patient can't always be saved, the doctor can usually say that was probable cause. And some 1% will just up and die for no good reason whatsoever. If you have been comfortable with your vet up to this point, give him/her the benefit of the doubt. Veterinary medicine doesn't pay all that well and moist vets are into it because they really do care. S**t happens.

So sorry!

Oh these things are the saddest of all.

What can we do? Poor humans that we are. We do our best and try to give our loved family members the happiest lives we can but it's not always certain that we can. My heart is right there with you.

Nik, Our thoughts and prayers of comfort go your way. Our grief was too great to even consider a new companion after we lost our golden at 16 years. And then we lost our second and younger golden to depression less than a year later. We did not understand the bond of the two. Our daughter, now a new vet, pushed me toward this understanding and an acceptance of the losses finally to a new puppy. Why did I not do so sooner - a lack of the understanding you are sowing us. It is a comfort from you to me that you can mourn the most recent loss of Sissy, recognize all these human and canine needs and are moving forward. Life is too short to not do so. Thank you for sharing. ~Nancylee

Heartbreaking... I'm hugging one of ours now. Veronica

Thinking and feeling with you, Nik, in your shock and grief... may love and blessings surround you and your loved ones; those still here on Earth and those always precious ones that have travelled on...

Many hugs to you all, and hopes for your future with Lara.

Nooooo!

What a total bummer.

But yep, you are right - another one soon a. Sort of different when you lose and old dog which has become part of the furniture - it simply doesn't feel right to get a substitute right away - not least because it is always a hard act for a new dog to have to follow...but I agree here, for you and Aris, a new companion is the best thing to do...and what a companion! Of course, having sheepdogs myself I am biased...and hey, our little girl was due to be (gasp) culled 'because she was the 'wrong colour'. The hill shepherds in Wales do not want long haired dogs because they get brambled and tangled...and we also found out that they don't want brown dogs because they disappear in the bracken...and our Welshie is brown with white chest and socks so yep, ours was a rescue too. Lara looks gorgeous - but utterly heartbreaking about Sissy -great name for her ...and yep, a lot of shepherd in there).

Hazel (ours) has just come through her first oestrus so I will be having her spayed in the next couple of months but fortunately, we can get keyhole surgery in some vets although it is twice as expensive as the usual removal of the ovaries and uterus. Mostly though, only the ovaries are removed through 2 tiny incisions -the procedure takes less than 2 minutes...is there any chance this is available anywhere in Greece? And if it is, can we help to pay for it? I am saying we, meaning I, but I am pretty certain that if there is anything at all we in the rest of Europe and the US can possibly do in this terrible time in the Greek people's history, a few spare dollars/pounds is the very least of it - please, please don't feel angry - we are your (distant) mates after all.

Have you been able to bury her on your land? Perhaps pick a favourite from your new roses in her memory. Again, utterly sorry to hear this - the grief and pain is very heart-clenching and even gasp out loud but I truly hope you, Aris and Lara find joy and a long life. Psychic, long distance hugs (and please, again, don't be offended by my crass insensitivity - I hope it comes from the right place).

Courage.

SuzyX

Suzy thanks for the kind words. I didn't know that laparoscopic spaying was practiced and by doing a quick google search I see that there are a few places here that say they perform it. Good to know for the future. Lara, if I end up getting her, is 3 years old and already spayed so no issue there. No I don't bury my pets on my land mainly because of the effort needed to dig deep enough (otherwise you stand the ugly chance of the other dogs... you know what I mean). There is a doggy cemetery not too far from where I live which I patronise.

On the matter of working dogs I can understand people having particular requirements as long as they treat the dogs right. That the doggy was given for adoption rather than be put down because of the wrong colour is a good and promising thing. What I cannot sympathise with is sports hunting (although I fully appreciate how this 'sport' has helpd in the development of lots of breeds we now use as companions, my Goldens included).

hope you don't mind - here is Hazel on Midsummer Common, Cambridge, at around 6months.

Hope you and Lara are a good fit.

Cheers. Suzy

Hazel looks very alert. A 'real' dog. She's a Welsh sheepdog, she looks like one of the heavier built ones.

My sympathies for this heartbreaking turn, Nik, and I am glad you are seeking another love. Sissy was beautiful, as is Lara -- I think gold-colored dogs are especially beautiful.

Funny about the "wrong color". My late uncle, Bob Zimmerman, among the last of the true cowboys, was renowned for his line of "yellow" McNabs. McNabs are a local (originating at the McNab Ranch) lineage of Scotch collies that are usually black and white, but he got a gold-colored one in one batch of pups ("Gyp"), who went on to father offspring where the occasional pup was that color, too (recessive mutation, I suppose). Gyp was an exceptionally good herder, who won sheepdog trials at the county fair, as were many of his yellow offspring, so rather than being shunned, the yellow pups were highly desired by local ranchers. They seemed to consider them a sure bet for a good dog, as well as being of that relatively rare and novel color that lent prestige. But, as Camps points out, not so practical, considering that most of lower-elevation California is the same color as these dogs in the summer and fall -- Gyp, son Teddy, and grandson Rowdy (the ones I knew best) were hardly visible at a distance, at all, on the range.

My heart breaks for you Nik. I hope time heals the pain for you.

Oh, I'm so sorry. It must be so devastating. I remember the worry I felt when our cat was spade. Nik, I hope and pray the best for you, Boubis and your future companion.

Many thanks to all for your support. It has been precious. Aris is getting extra double cuddles these last couple of days so he thanks you too.

Dedicated to all of you (not an OGR but my current best bloomer during this summer heat)

Nik, it's so beautiful; looks like a whipped cream rose on a wedding cake! What variety is this?

I also want to let you know about a remedy which I have used with great success in cats, dogs and humans going through trauma and stress. I know you can get it in western Europe and Italy, so I am hoping you can get it in Greece. It's called "Rescue Remedy", and it is a Bach Flower remedy. 10 drops in their water bowl, fresh each day. I have seen it work within hours, usually within a couple of days there is improvement if it's going to work. Doesn't work for all people or animals, but does no harm at all. There are also specific remedies for grief which I used on myself when my father died and on my Pugdog when "her Boy" (my son) moved out. Hopefully you can access their website from where you are (seems you have reliable internet) and see if it's something you and Aris and your new family member want to try. I keep some on hand all the time, as well as personalized blends.

It is a compact floribunda cum patio rose which has performed admirably for me. No disease, round dense and compact habit with short internodal lengths, smallish dark glossy green foliage, a bit slow to start, somewhat slow to rebloom but produces wonderful flushes and large blooms which are fruity scented (Tea like not european rose scent) like melon to my nose. I have it in a pot and I suspect it may be a water hog if planted in a dry garden. Other than that it likes my climate.

I hope the powers that be are reading my praise for one of their roses.....
Sangerhäuser Jubiläumsrose (Floral Fairy Tale)

Nik, so sorry to hear of the loss of your Mr. B. and puppy. It is so hard to lose them. Wish you much joy with little Lara.