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Originally Posted by girldetective
All this said, my eyes are on a dane (or maybe, if it pans out with research a couple of others).
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Danes are great animals (in both senses of the word), but know this: they don't have very long lifespans, and the following might be a dealbreaker for you:
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What Is Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus?
"Gastric Dilatation" is the technical name for an abnormal accumulation of air, fluid, and/or foam in the stomach; we usually call this BLOAT. "Volvulus" refers to a dangerous twisting, rotation, or torsion of the stomach. As the stomach swells with fluid and/or air, it can twist between its two fixed anchors points, the esophagus and the duodenum. When this happens, a devastating sequence of events starts to unfold. Once the esophagus has been clamped off, everything is trapped inside the stomach. An afflicted dog cannot vomit or belch to relieve the internal pressure, so the problem intensifies. As pressure continues to build within the torsioned stomach, it enlarges and compresses the veins in the abdomen. This restricts blood flow back to the heart and leads to low blood pressure, followed by dangerous cardiac problems and, often, shock. Meanwhile, the stomach's lining starts to break down (die) due to the loss of circulation, creating toxic by-products. In some cases, the stomach will actually rupture. Not only that, but the dog's spleen, bowels, liver or pancreas may also be severely damaged by this grisly cascade of events.
Obviously, GDV is a dangerous condition that constitutes an extreme medical emergency. If left untreated, or if treatment comes too late, your dog will die a very painful death. The speed with which you provide your dog with competent medical attention can mean the difference between life and death.
Is Your Dane at Risk?
GDV occurs most often in large breed dogs with deep chests. As a breed, the Great Dane is at high risk for bloat. According to a 1998 study by Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine, Great Danes are 40 times more likely to develop GDV than a mixed breed dog. Danes topped the list of vulnerable breeds with the highest incidence of GDV – nearly double the risk compared to the second most vulnerable breed, the Akita. In fact, the Purdue report states: "Assuming that these Great Danes live to be 10 years of age, we conservatively estimate that more than 50% will eventually suffer an episode of GDV!! This is quite alarming given that nearly 25% of dogs can be expected to die during or shortly after an episode of GDV and it is consistent with previous findings that GDV is one of the leading causes of death in many giant and large breeds of dogs." While I find these high numbers a bit questionable, the fact remains that bloat is one of the leading causes of death in the Great Dane. You should know the symptoms and develop your own plan for handling this life-threatening emergency.
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Great Dane Links: BLOAT
However, the Dane owners I know of keep getting Danes despite the short time they're in your life. It's almost like brand loyalty. Once a Dane owner, always a Dane owner. If you get 10 years out of a Dane pup, you're quite fortunate. I think even 8 is a good run.
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Originally Posted by girldetective
Heres the thing though. Do you like having a dog? With full and total responsibility at all times?
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It's about balance. New dog owners can have a tough time adjusting: it's a lifestyle change. Just read as much as you can about the amount of involvement required in caring for a dog. Maybe go to a shelter and volunteer to take a few dogs out for walks if you don't have that much experience one on one with them. Get accustomed to how they respond to humans, even before they've adjusted to you.
Also seriously consider obedience school. It's more for training the owners than it is for the dogs.
As a dog owner, I sometimes think of how much easier things would be not owning a dog. But then I think of my "Puppy Face," and I can't imagine not having her around. She's a part of the family. And she knows it.
It's work, but the rewards are great. Just be sure to pick the breed that suits your personality.