Krissy of Daydreams Delight - LCD                              (Emma *16.09.2010 †07.03.2016, tvd)


07 March 2016

We are very sad. Emma leaves a huge gap in our lives. It feels so incredibly empty and powerless. She gave her best, but in the end she just couldn't any longer. The decision was terribly hard for us, but it was the right one for Emma. She fell asleep very quickly in my arms. We buried her and planted tulips. Thank you all for your condolence and especially Gaby Düser and Annette Bröckelmann for support in this difficult times. We will never forget Emma and we will love always her. I hope I will see you again one day.

 

(Anna Korte, owner of Emma)


11 February 2016

Emma is again on her way to Geißen with Arndt. She had totally degraded by now on the same. Today in the morning she hasn't got up and had palpitations. She was shaking all over her body and had difficulties to breath. Last night everything was good. And I'm – moron –  went out for dinner, rather than to be with her. This morning, she didn't even get up when I gave Paula and Rudi  a carrot in the kitchen. We had to carry her into the car. Arndt is on his way now. I'm so scared and I could not go with them even though Emma is my little girl. I reproach myself so much. I do not know what to do and how to decide what is right. When something is really bad with her, I'll go there immediately. We are so worried about Emma.

 

(Anna Korte, owner of Emma) 


05 February 2016

 

 

We have Emma in the trunk and we're on the way back home and the account is a bit emptier again ... This ladybug costume with integrated long-term ECG monitoring must be from Gucci ...

 

(Anna Korte, owner of Emma)


04 February 2016

Emma comes home tomorrow with a long-term ECG and new medication. She had 1.5 liters of water in the thorax. It seems that it wasn't because of the TD. The vets assume an idiopathic chylothorax. That is, she has in addition to TD still a problem with her lymphs. Arrhythmias haven't been detected so far. But she is only lying all the day. That's why she need to wear the long-term ECG under normal conditions  tomorrow 24 hrs again. She gets soon another medication to regulate the lymphatic flow. And then we need to look further, how her condition develops. But thankfully she comes back home tomorrow.

 

(Anna Korte, owner of Emma) 


03 February 2016

Emma was today stationary in Giessen. She has massive water retention and a highly inflamed pleura. There was laid a catheter initially meant for drainage and now probably is the time for the 'Rashkind maneuver' come. Please keep your fingers crossed...

 

(Anna Korte, owner of Emma)


23 November 2015

At November 23 we went once again to the University of Giessen.

 

Emma was checked by the cardiologist again thoroughly (ultrasound, X-ray, ECG and blood count) and what a joy: it was "all right"!

 

With the new low fat diet feed her weight had now finally perfectly leveled at 23kg and the blood values were great! We were in the eye clinic too, because Emma's cornea had become a little hazy. Cholesterol crystals have incorporated. A reason for this could not be ascertained. We were said to continue to feed law fat.

 

Emma it is currently really dazzling and full of energy and vitality.

 

Paula enjoyed the ride too and used it to donate blood and could directly help a sick Airedale Terrier there.

 

(Anna Korte, owner of Emma)


17 February 2015

Emma (Krissy of Daydreams Delight) went for a check-up to the Justus Liebig University to Dr. Wurtinger and Prof. Schneider. They did an ultrasound, ECG, took blood samples and a radiography of the thorax. 

 

All in all, Emmas condition was said as being very positive and stable. Unfortunately, she has some water in her thorax, but only a little bit. Her kidneys are in very bad shape due to the medication, but this is also not severe yet.

 

Emma has to take an additional medicament: Kalinor-retard P 600mg. During the ECG they found extra-systoled, despite the use of Diltiazem. This is why she has to carry an ECG advice for 24 hours. Tomorrow we have to send the advice back to Gießen so they can check the results.

 

Emma is not very happy about this tool and the bandage. Although the students in Gießen cut out some hearts and pinched them on the bandage.

 

We wish you all a good night.

 

Anna & Emma

(Anna Korte, owner of Emma)


19 January 2015

I always wanted a dog. I actually wished I could get a whole farm, but my parents were not that open-minded about it. Thus, I made this dream come true when I finished my studies and moved back to the Sauerland. It was already clear for me that it will be a Labrador. What fascinated me does not need any explanation here. I think everyone who knows the feeling of having such a dog, to be that lucky to have one or more of these companions, knows to appreciate them with all their qualities and flaws.

 

After countless internet searches, several telephone talks with breeders and some visits with coffee and cakes, it was already clear on the first visit of the kennel 'of Daydreams Delight': that it will be a she-dog from the K-litter from Uta and Michael Schnitker. Both coached and advised us so lovely from the first minute. You could feel immediately with how much warmth, love and wit they make their job. Short: I simply felt welcomed. We visited the puppies several times. I remember quite good, I really wanted to have the biggest one...

 

We got one of the smallest though. Schnitkers chose the puppies according to the demands of the clients. I´m still really happy about that. I took Emma (Krissy of Daydreams Delight) immediately to my heart and I swore to never let her down. She is my heart-dog and I really adore her. I was shocked when our vet got very quiet while doing a routine test (around 9 weeks ago) and said in a very serious way that something was wrong. She found weird heart murmurs. Maybe a persistent Ductus arteriosus Botalli.

 

I felt tears running down my face. ... but since this kind of heart failure is curable with an operation we were full of hope when we went to Utrecht a few days later. We got a date for the surgery for the day after. The doctors and students in Holland were very friendly and spoke almost fluent German. First, Emma was checked manually. For the well-experienced cardiologist it was clear that it could not be a Ductus arteriosus Botalli. They made an ultrasound and a ECG. When they did the ultrasound, I could not control myself any longer. I cried heavily. The doctor was very serious when he explained that the right vestibule was already double the size of the left one. Further, the heart valve was extremely pushed downwards. You could hear the turbulence in this area and they were also colored. I was barely capable to go through the following conversation with the vet. I just wanted to leave the hospital. He explained that this heart failure was incurable and existed since birth. The prognosis depends on the severity of the disease and that the body will decompensate and ascites, arrhythmia and finally distress will arise. He gave the advise to handle Emma just as usual, but not to go jogging with her, or take her with the bike. As long as she will be stable and unchanged there is nothing to do. Emma got the devastating prognosis of 6 more months. I was totally wrecked and cried a lot, but the cute thing was just full of the joys of life and jolly.

 

We could give Emma back. But we never considered that. We took another puppy from the K-litter (Kelcie of Daydream’s Delight, but for us Paula), which did not find a home elsewhere. She moved in with us with the age of 12 weeks. Before, she got an operation because of an ectopic ureter. This is history now and she does not have to expect any problems in the future. So, Paula got labeled from the vet as "without any concerns".

 

I dealt a lot with Emmas disease. But there were also times were I totally forgot about it. Emma was always without symptoms. Especially when one compared the two sisters Emma and Paula, no one would consider Emma to be heart sick. Paula was always more calm, much bigger and very interested in cuddling and food.

 

Emma was a 'Osnickel'. Very confident, fit, bold and charming. She was always active and loved it to learn and exercise.

We did everything: Dummy, dragging, welding work, the hunting license, work in waters, seminars, examinations, hunts, vacations, we climbed on mountains and dived into the ocean  waves. Emma could never get enough. In this time I got to know many lovely and kind people. It was a really great time and I never regret even for a second that I got Emma. Some people might say that my emotions I feel for a dog are a bit exaggerated, but I am  really attached to Emma; she is "my girl".

 

A lot of time passed since then...

 

Emma got very much worse last August. She became calm, too calm... Then she got breathing difficulties, up to extreme shortness of breath. There were no water retentions visible or identified by touch. We got immediately scared of the day x. I won´t describe the following progress again, since I already did it in the 'Updates to Emma'.

 

It is horrible to recognize that everything might end very soon and the covering does not work anymore. I think that Emmas heart simply does not work any longer. It is broken and tired. In the last time, I realized that she can feel it too. At least I imagine so. I accepted – so much did change – that she is sick and might die early or that I need to make the decision to let her go earlier. If it is necessary, I will do it. Luckily she does not suffer any pain. She is just exhausted. I really hope that the medicaments and maybe finally an operation might give her some more years, but at least a better quality of life.

 

It is awful to lie next to her during night, when she suffers of shortness of breath and you can´t do anything against it. I slept beside her every night in her dog bed. I got used to several wakeups during night and the lack of sleep. Emma cannot be alone any more. She has an enormous urge to urinate and drinks oodles of water. 3 times a day she gets medication. She has a weekly dispenser, which pretty much looks like the one my grandma uses.

 

Besides all that her happy mind is still intact and you can see that she really wants to live. Since she is back from Gießen she seems to feel very good.

 

As a member of the LCD and as a private person I really wish that this disease is not ignored from the club any longer. Especially the Labrador Club Deutschland e.V. (LCD) as well as the Deutsche Retriever Club e.V. (DRC) should help to investigate this disease to keep future breeds healthy.

I support the concerned dog owners initiative 'tricuspid valve dysplasia in Labrador Retriever' and the planned study in cooperation with Feragen because I have the huge interest in sparing future puppy owners the pain we went through. Maybe it is not proven that TVD is genetic; maybe very different reasons cause this disease. We were told that maybe spontaneous mutations or a virus infection in the early pregnancy are responsible. It is a fact that we know that this disease is innate, so we cannot eliminate the idea that the cause is passed on genetically. Even if the number of known cases might be small, I demand a cause study. How many unknown cases? Maybe someone is afraid of their reputation or maybe the possibility to take part in a study is not known. When I see my own dog and know how much we suffered with this whole situation, I get very angry. I don´t have a grudge against someone. Also not against our breeders. I don´t mean to talk bad about anyone or do them harm. For Emma and our situation is no one responsible. But right now everyone who love this breed, the diseased dogs, their owners, even future dog owners, need the support of the associations and all their members. If finally we get the result that we do not have any genetic problem we can be really happy. Until then though, we really have a need for action.

 

(Anna Korte, owner of Emma)


16 January 2015

Emmas ("Krissy of Daydreams Delight") owner informed us that she is finally at home.

 

She is very excited and can´t keep still. In the car, on her way home, she was allowed for once to sit in the front (perfectly secured) - the joy was just too great for both of them!

 

Emma and her owner are more than happy to be united again!

 

Emma, we wish you all the best! The next mud puddle is yours...


15 January 2015

Emma (Krissy of Daydreams Delight) is finally allowed to go home tomorrow!

 

The cardiologist could find some supra ventricular extra systoles (arrhythmia/irregular heartbeat, visible as an extra heartbeat above one of the ventricle. Those are not rare for Emma due to the TVD caused increased right vestibule. But they cause an even worse blood flow, so the blood is blocked additionally to the TVD caused tricuspid regurgitation.

 

Emma gets medicine against the symptoms of TVD plus small doses of Diltiazem (60mg) against the arrhythmia.

 

The cardiologist assumes that this should be enough to cause no further water retention. Should this happen anyway, there is still the method of the 'Rashkid- Maneuver', to minimize the pressure in the right vestibule.

 

We cross all our fingers, toes and paws that the medicine works and she can enjoy her life without any pain and jump through many more muddy puddles!


13 January 2015

Emma (Krissy of Daydreams Delight) did not get the heart operation using the 'Rashkid- Maneuver' as it was planned first.

 

Until this morning the operation was still scheduled and Emma was again carefully examined with an one-and-a half hour ultrasound. Here, the cardiologists could not find any new congestions in the vessels and there were normal pressures everywhere. Since this is untypical for the breakdown of the right side of the heart, the doctors did some more test - ECG and some endurance tests. The latter were absolutely unobtrusive, and the ECG showed arrhythmia. So the doctors assumed that there are more causes for the water retention and changed compression rates at times. Since Emma is stabile and the operation needs a 100% certainty that there are no other reasons for typical TVD symptoms, they decided to postpone the operation. Prior, the doctors like to check Emma with a long-term ECG and eliminate the possibility of impaired outflow in the lymph.

 

We will inform about the progress. 


12 January 2015

Emmas (Krissy of Daydreams Delight) owner just informed us that Emma gets an operation tomorrow.

 

Emma did not show any symptoms until last August and did not need any medicaments. Unfortunately, her condition got worse rapidly. She got lethargic and had a hard time to breathe. Emmas owner could not feel any water retentions though.

 

Due to this rapidly worsening condition, Emmas owner drove her to the animal hospital in Gießen, where Emma was checked extensively. TVD was diagnosed and sadly 1,5l of water in the thorax, between lung and heart, were found as well. This squeezed the lung and thus Emma could not breathe as easily as usual. The water was absorbed  properly; Emma was regulated with medication and stayed for observation some days in the clinic.

 

In the following time, Emma was jolly and happy and even made the Dummy A, until she worsened around 2 weeks before her planned control meeting in the clinic end of November. Emmas owner went to the Gießen immediately, where they again absorbed around 1,5 liter of water from her thorax.

 

On the basis of her acute and profound bad state there are just two possibilities for Emma: euthanasia or a heart surgery.

Emmas owner did not think for long – they want to try everything possible to provide some more happy and symptom-free years for Emma.

 

This is why Emma gets an operation tomorrow afternoon in the clinic in Gießen.

The operation is called 'Rashkind maneuver' and is originally from the human medicine for pediatric cardiology but it can also be used within animal cardiology. A hole will be torn into the atrial septum (partition between right and left vestibule) by using a catheter. This hole will then be supported by a stent, so that the blood can flow directly from the right to the left vestibule. (Some more detailed explanations can be found here). The 'Rashkind maneuver'  is definitely not an minor intervention and the time point of the operation must be perfectly adjusted to the current constitution of the dog.

 

The doctors, as well as Emmas owner are very optimistic. Of course, an anesthesia which is gentle to the heart will be used and the observation after the surgery is done under intensive care and with extra oxygen supply. The length of this control-period depends on Emmas recovery and can take up to several weeks.

 

We will think of Emma and her owner and will activate all our thumps, toes and paws to send Emma very much power, positive energy and love for her operation tomorrow!

 

We will write some updates here.