Rottweiler Health Foundation

Rottweiler Health Foundation Mission Statement

To raise money to fund critical research into the genetic, communicable and acquired diseases that plague our beloved breed, the Rottweiler.

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Winter 2008

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SHARED REAL STORIES

My Rottweiler 'Klause'
Dealing with Bone Cancer

Submitted by Carrie and Mike Zaitz on 04/04/03

Photo: Our dog Klause

Our dog Klause died Tuesday morning, around 4 am, March 25 2003. He was almost 11 years old. Around Thanksgiving of 2002 we had noticed him limping, and we took him to the vet expecting he had sprained it somehow. To our great shock and grief the vet said it was most likely cancer. He wanted to do a biopsy to be sure, so we took him back so the vet could get the sample.

Klause was very quiet and glassy eyed after the biopsy for a day and we were quite depressed. The news finally came that the biopsy wasn't conclusive and to be sure he suggested doing surgery to get a better sample. By then I had found this site and had the unhappy knowledge of the frequency of cancer in the Rottweiler. We decided not to do further surgery on Klause since even the biopsy had really taken a toll. The vet didn't think amputation was a good idea and we took him home with a big bottle of Rimadyl to help his pain and swelling. We were devastated and didn't really know what to expect, but the vet said we'd know when he was in too much pain and to enjoy him until then.

So we took the legs off his favorite chair so he could get into it easier, and we kept an eye on him. He seemed to be in great spirits, even right through March. We kept giving him Rimadyl, and he complained very little, all things considered. He seemed to whine at night when we went up to bed, but we think it was more because he was separated from us by the stairs.

When we first learned of his cancer the vet advised us to confine him and not allow him to try stairs or anything that might lead him to break the weakened leg. At first we used gates and locks, but soon he learned not to even attempt stairs through his own common sense.

I had a party on the Saturday before he died -- he was his usual social self and loved the attention. He loved the treats he got and everyone commented on what a great dog he was. But by Monday night his leg was swollen to twice the size it had been and he was struggling to breathe.

Klause was a very loving dog and very strong though rather small for a Rottweiler, but he kept fighting death right till the end. My husband sensed the end was near and stayed with him all night. He said Klause kept close and finally let go. Klause died peacefully and at home. We had him cremated and we miss him terribly.

Klause the Dog was the sweetest, best dog we'd ever known.




Do you have a REAL STORY to share about your Rottweiler? Please email your story, along with photos to the RHF Webmaster Your story may help others going through similar circumstances.