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This is a very hard post to make

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
I lost my Ella to bloat on Saturday night. I've spent my adult life worrying about GDV (boxers are prone to it) and have the chart I will post in a separate thread on my cabinet. My girl had her normal dinner of 1 3/4 cups of food. She didn't play. She didn't drink too much water. In fact, because my daughter's boy lives with me now and they don't get along, she was gated in my room sleeping on the bed immediately after eating. It was her turn to sleep with us. She showed not one early symptom. Not one. At 10pm she "coughed" and didn't bring anything up. Then a few minutes later she did it again and I got up to check on her. Her gums were pure white and she was just a little bloated. I immediately called my daughter who is a vet tech and has worked emergency. She also has a small car and Ella couldn't get in my jeep at that point. She drove over and took one look at her belly and gums and said she has to go NOW. We got her to the emergency vet by about 10:45pm. 45 minutes after the first symptom I saw. Xrays showed her stomach had twisted. She was in severe shock. At a little before midnight we let her go. My heart is shattered. I KNOW about this condition. I KNOW what to look for and what to do. For whatever reason she didn't do any of the usual things. I'm going to make a separate post of things I've shared many times over the years with the hope that it will help someone else. Here are two pictures of my beautiful girl. The one laying on the bed was taken a week or so ago. The one of her sitting was taken only a couple of hours before she was gone. Of all the dogs I have, Ella was mine and only mine. My love. My protector. My girl. I miss her. IMG_2169.jpg 63555817394__937AFCC7-EF8E-4AF3-BCB2-D9F6457463C1.jpg
 

glen

Super Moderator
Staff member
Im so so sorry for your loss of the beautiful girl, bloat as always been my fear, im lost for words on how to comfort you.
You gave her the best lie, she was loved, you will have so many wonderful memories of her, you will always cherish those.sendinv you a big hug from me and the boys.
Run free ella rip you beautiful girl.xxxx
One of the pups we hand reared as just passed from it . It broke me . Such a cruel cruel thing, no warnings. They did everything correct. Xx
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
Im so so sorry for your loss of the beautiful girl, bloat as always been my fear, im lost for words on how to comfort you.
You gave her the best lie, she was loved, you will have so many wonderful memories of her, you will always cherish those.sendinv you a big hug from me and the boys.
Run free ella rip you beautiful girl.xxxx
One of the pups we hand reared as just passed from it . It broke me . Such a cruel cruel thing, no warnings. They did everything correct. Xx

Thank you. I just want her home now. I'll feel better when I have her back with me, even though I know that the ashes aren't "her." The house is just so empty without her thumping tail, smiling face, and big old body.
 

BattleDax

Well-Known Member
Oh my goodness, I'm so sad reading this. So sorry to hear. What a magnificent girl, and obviously lavished with love. I lost my previous boy to this condition. I will pray for your comfort.
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
Im so so sorry for your loss of the beautiful girl, bloat as always been my fear, im lost for words on how to comfort you.
You gave her the best lie, she was loved, you will have so many wonderful memories of her, you will always cherish those.sendinv you a big hug from me and the boys.
Run free ella rip you beautiful girl.xxxx
One of the pups we hand reared as just passed from it . It broke me . Such a cruel cruel thing, no warnings. They did everything correct. Xx

I meant to tell you how sorry I am about your loss. I know that even when our fosters leave our homes, they're ours forever. I'm very, very sorry.
 

kingmark

Well-Known Member
I lost my Ella to bloat on Saturday night. I've spent my adult life worrying about GDV (boxers are prone to it) and have the chart I will post in a separate thread on my cabinet. My girl had her normal dinner of 1 3/4 cups of food. She didn't play. She didn't drink too much water. In fact, because my daughter's boy lives with me now and they don't get along, she was gated in my room sleeping on the bed immediately after eating. It was her turn to sleep with us. She showed not one early symptom. Not one. At 10pm she "coughed" and didn't bring anything up. Then a few minutes later she did it again and I got up to check on her. Her gums were pure white and she was just a little bloated. I immediately called my daughter who is a vet tech and has worked emergency. She also has a small car and Ella couldn't get in my jeep at that point. She drove over and took one look at her belly and gums and said she has to go NOW. We got her to the emergency vet by about 10:45pm. 45 minutes after the first symptom I saw. Xrays showed her stomach had twisted. She was in severe shock. At a little before midnight we let her go. My heart is shattered. I KNOW about this condition. I KNOW what to look for and what to do. For whatever reason she didn't do any of the usual things. I'm going to make a separate post of things I've shared many times over the years with the hope that it will help someone else. Here are two pictures of my beautiful girl. The one laying on the bed was taken a week or so ago. The one of her sitting was taken only a couple of hours before she was gone. Of all the dogs I have, Ella was mine and only mine. My love. My protector. My girl. I miss her. View attachment 63283 View attachment 63284
I am very sorry and saddened :(
 

Dstack

Well-Known Member
I lost my Ella to bloat on Saturday night. I've spent my adult life worrying about GDV (boxers are prone to it) and have the chart I will post in a separate thread on my cabinet. My girl had her normal dinner of 1 3/4 cups of food. She didn't play. She didn't drink too much water. In fact, because my daughter's boy lives with me now and they don't get along, she was gated in my room sleeping on the bed immediately after eating. It was her turn to sleep with us. She showed not one early symptom. Not one. At 10pm she "coughed" and didn't bring anything up. Then a few minutes later she did it again and I got up to check on her. Her gums were pure white and she was just a little bloated. I immediately called my daughter who is a vet tech and has worked emergency. She also has a small car and Ella couldn't get in my jeep at that point. She drove over and took one look at her belly and gums and said she has to go NOW. We got her to the emergency vet by about 10:45pm. 45 minutes after the first symptom I saw. Xrays showed her stomach had twisted. She was in severe shock. At a little before midnight we let her go. My heart is shattered. I KNOW about this condition. I KNOW what to look for and what to do. For whatever reason she didn't do any of the usual things. I'm going to make a separate post of things I've shared many times over the years with the hope that it will help someone else. Here are two pictures of my beautiful girl. The one laying on the bed was taken a week or so ago. The one of her sitting was taken only a couple of hours before she was gone. Of all the dogs I have, Ella was mine and only mine. My love. My protector. My girl. I miss her. View attachment 63283 View attachment 63284
Boxergirl- I’m so saddened to read your news about sweet Ella. I’m thinking of you.
 

marke

Well-Known Member
terrible news to read ....... makes me sad , my condolences .... their lives are so short , all we can do is make it as best as possible , which i'm positive you did ............i'm confident you'll see her again .......
 

sadhbhsdad

Well-Known Member
My first DDB was lost to bloat. It was devastating for the family at the time and still hurts but time does heal. I often think could I have done this could I have done that.
Sympathies to you and family.
 

sjdavenport

Well-Known Member
I am so, so sorry to read this. Such a sweet, sweet face. It's always hard to say goodbye, but there is something extra raw and painful about a sudden, unexpected loss. Like so many of us here, bloat is also a big fear of mine. You guys are in my thoughts.
 

choann12

New Member
Such a beautiful girl. I am so sorry for your loss. The loss of a family member (dogs are absolutely a family member) is always so hard. I know this was a couple of weeks ago and the healing process will take time but you gave her such a great happy life. I hope you hold on to all of the beautiful memories.
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
Such a beautiful girl. I am so sorry for your loss. The loss of a family member (dogs are absolutely a family member) is always so hard. I know this was a couple of weeks ago and the healing process will take time but you gave her such a great happy life. I hope you hold on to all of the beautiful memories.

Thank you.
 

glen

Super Moderator
Staff member
How are you, silly question i know, they sure do take a big part of our heart with them. Thinking of you.x
 

Boxergirl

Well-Known Member
How are you, silly question i know, they sure do take a big part of our heart with them. Thinking of you.x

Thank you. Thank you so much for asking. It will be a month tomorrow and I don't really feel any better. I've lost a lot of dogs and I haven't been affected this hard since I lost my Ed about 13 years ago. I question if I missed something. I question if I made the right choice by not attempting the surgery. I'm angry that nobody but me seems to miss her and everyone thinks I should be fine and happy. And that's not fair to them, I know, so I'm trying to work on that.

I hadn't planned to have another EM. My husband wants nothing bigger than a boxer. I know now that that just won't work for me. I've found a breeder I like a lot that's not too far from me. I won't get another dog while my Roy is still here. He's going to be ten in August and none of my boxers have made it to eleven. He deserves to have all the attention I can give him now and his leaving is going to leave just as big or bigger of a hole than hers did. Eventually I want to get another EM that I can try to train to be a public access service dog. It's just going to be a long time until that's possible because I have my daughter's boy here who is only four. He has some issues and I can't bring a puppy into the house with him.

Today I'm going to get a picture printed up of my girl and put her on my dresser with the rest of my dogs. I'm not sure which one, but I really do like this one.

IMG_2338.jpg
 

glen

Super Moderator
Staff member
That picture is beautiful, its like shes looking at you with those big eyes full of love.
There is no set time to greive, some people cope better than others, but when you have such a loyal companion that is snatched away so quiclky i think it takes a lot longer, please dont try to hide your greif, she was your girl you need time.
I lost my rottie girl shauna 23 years ago, she was there when i came home with everyone of my 4 children, she layed by there cots protecting, walked beside me everywhere we went, when i lost her it broke me, from that day iv never been able to have another femalenof any breed, thats why i have my 3 boys, it was a risk if it went wrong, but i just cant get attached to a female of any breed.
Please dont question if you did enough, you did, bloat is awful, she knew you loved her, and you did the most loving act of taking her pain away.,
Take care xx