Re: Do Berners ever die of old age?
I truly envy those who've been blessed with a long lived Berner presence. I think about this quite a bit and, while I've not fallen into the why me? syndrome, I am grateful for the few (probably short) days I have yet to go with Hesse. I still do not know if I can live with another Berner. But, for sure, I have been graced by Hesse - however long he has yet to live. My regards to you all. -- Jordan S. Dill Network Support Engineer I, 1-877-877-2120 - Option 3 Webmaster/Abuse Specialist SoVerNet,Inc/National Mobile Communications Corp PGP public key http://tinyurl.com/abml The information contained in this email message may be confidential. If you are not the intended recipient any use,distribution, disclosure or copying of this information is prohibited. If you receive this email in error, please tell us by return email and destroy this communication and any attachments from your system.
RE: Do Berners ever die of old age?
Posted for Pamela: You have written a VERY good post/answer... old age I think you educated an awful lot op people today and made them think. Good for you. Thank you for the statistics as well, because it illustrates exactly the kind of information that is truly helpful. Remembering Rocky (Berner, poison @ age 7.5) Radar (Lab-mix, bloat @ 14+, also suffering from some dementia) and Brushhopper (Lab-mix, Parvo @ 4 years, 2 days before a litter of 12 were due to be whelped; 2nd confirmed death in the county, about the 5th confirmed case, vaccine unavailable then); childhood dogs: Khaki, Lab, 8 yrs, euthanasia, unspecified probable stomach/internal cancer; Pokey, cocker spaniel, 2 yrs, auto accident; Flopsy, cocker, 13 yrs, euthanasia, bit my toddler brother. Yes, I still grieve for each one. Pamela and Dick with Allegra and Monty (can we sleep outside tonight again) - Original Message - From: Suzanne Hostetter [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, May 30, 2003 8:12 AM Subject: RE: Do Berners ever die of old age? I've had many ppo's call and tell me their previous dog 'died of old age'. To me, this means they do not know why their dog died. In today's world, that means they did not try to find out (for whatever reason).
RE: Do Berners ever die of old age?
Dear Jordan, You just keep enjoying Hesse, and give him some big hugs from me too!! When my Hannibal died he was only 4 years old. It broke my heart, he was that one in a million dog that so many of us seem to find in Berners. But I decided that I would rather have 4 special years with a Berner than 15 years with any other breed. I've been lucky since then, Vesta made it to 11, and Maggie made it to 9.5 years. All in all, I've beaten the breed average by over a year. The breed has brought so many things into my life, I hope to find ways to repay all they've given me. I think I've been lucky to find some ways to help out. I know it's very hard to see one of these dogs fail - but even when they're older, we always tend to think why me? Anytime we lose a Berner - it's always just too soon. They are angels with four white feet, on loan to us for far too short a time. All my love, Pat Long ( Luther) Berwyn PA
RE: Do Berners ever die of old age?
Hi Maria, Interesting topic you bring up. I have had many BMD's live past 10 years of age, the longest-lived was Fritz, who passed on at 14 years of age. I've had many ppo's call and tell me their previous dog 'died of old age'. To me, this means they do not know why their dog died. In today's world, that means they did not try to find out (for whatever reason). The term 'dying of old age' is, to me, kind of like 'the vapors', i.e. it is an old term that is no longer meaningful. Dying of 'old age' was said to happen when the body just 'quit' without obvious reason after a long life. We now have so much more technology and knowledge, that we have the ability to find out the reason for death. We don't have to settle for a catch-all phrase such as 'old age'. There are always specific reasons for death -- an organ system, structure, etc. that is no longer able to function for a specific reason. A good, healthy BMD should live 10-12 years. Causes of death in my dogs who died after a long life were: Konig: Bloat, 10.5 yrs. Missy: Histio, 10 yrs. Amelia: Leiomyosarcoma, 10.5 yrs. Abby: Lymphoma, 11.5 yrs. Brando: Anaplastic lymphoma, 10.5 yrs. Betsy: cancer, unknown type, 12.5 years Fritz: Hemangiosarcoma, 14 yrs. Rosie: Degenerative arthritis of spine, 12 years Lucy: Cardiomyopathy (on necropsy, was found to be secondary to malignant histio), 11.5 years Christie is currently gracing my couch at 11 yrs 5 months of age. She is one of 5 littermates still doing well out of a litter of 8. The youngest died at 7 years (bloat), then one at 8 years (histio) and one at nine years (unknown cancer). It is SO important to know the cause of death of our dogs so that we have complete information on our breed. With this knowledge, we can make the best decisions in breeding, future areas of health research, etc. For example, the MH study currently being conducted at Fred Hutch in Seattle: For their control group, they are getting blood samples from BMD's over 10 years of age, thinking those dogs would not die of MH since we lose dogs at such a young age to this disease. They are having to revise this after 3 of their control group dogs have eventually passed on of histio. The more we know, the better the decisions we can make for our own dogs as well as the breed. Unfortunately, not all my dogs have lived long lives. I have been blessed to have the majority of my kids do so, but have also known the horrible ache of losing dogs before their time. Longevity is something that we need to continually consider along with everything else. IMO, breeding for longevity too often takes a back seat to many, many other priorities. A balanced breeding program keeps longevity as a high priority. Berner wags, Suzanne Hostetter Alpenrose Farm Rochester, WA Hi List, I've been following this list since last September and see all of the postings about cancer deaths (Histio roll call) and other illness related Berner deaths. This got us wondering if there are any of you out there who had a Berner who died of old age and if so to what age did they live. It can't be as bad as it sounds. We love our little guy very, very much and know that the average life span is only 6-7 years because of the illnesses they are prone to. We would really like to hear some of the stats on the lucky Berners who live a long, full, happy, and healthy life. Let us know. Thanks Maria, Mark, Arabia (the Lab) and Jack (the Berner) Ringwood, NJ
Re: Do Berners ever die of old age?
This got us wondering if there are any of you out there who had a Berner who died of old age and if so to what age did they live My first ever Berner, Tinka, lived to a few weeks short of her fourteenth birthday and until her final collapse which came very quickly, had been still been enjoying long walks in the woods and had never been sick! Was only in her final week that she ever saw the vet apart from check-ups and routine shots. Yes, I lost my Sam to Lymphosarcoma aged six, but my vet was the first to make clear that this is a disease that affects young dogs of all breeds. My eldest Berner now is Sam's sister, Sunny, eight and a half! She had never had anything wrong until a month or so ago when she had a mysterious back injury and also needed a big back broken tooth out. Thankfully, she is now back to normal and her usual bouncy self. x-rays on Sunny did show early signs of Spondylosis but I have every hope now we are aware of this she will go on to a healthy old age! Just have to convince her to be more matronly now and less of the puppy bouncing! As for my two Boys. Barney five and Simmy, three and a half! They are Babies!! All love, Jean, Sunny, Simmy, Barney and the Gang X http://www.angelfire.com/anime3/longlease/index.htm
Re: Do Berners ever die of old age? and, Help
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Re: Do Berners ever die of old age?
Oh yes!!! Rikki (Ch Glanzberg's Franzi) went to the Bridge at 12.3 years Dolli (Ch Dolli vom Schwyzerhof) to the Bridge at 12 Zen (Ch Zenith de Savora) at 10 Amboss and Astor from my A litter are going well at 11 (there may be more from this litter) Cosaque and Csar from the C litter are 9 (the other pup died at 7) Xamba v Kleinholz is 9 Dom, Dolli and Daisy will be 9 in October These are only my dogs and there are hundreds more Senior Berners around the world who are still giving Berner nudges, Berner bumps and cheerfully slobbering all over their humans. Marion Brown Teversal Bernese Mountain Dogs South Africa Dogs Never Lie About Love (Jeffrey Masson)
Re: Do Berners ever die of old age?
Maria, Not every dog I've owned or bred lived a long life but I have an 11+ yr old, her 1/2 sister lived to just 2 weeks from 14 yrs, another 1/2 sister was 12 but I haven't talked to them in a while so don't know how she is doing today, a number of my other puppies that I've sold lived to over 12 yrs and many to 9-10+ yrs. Many Berners live long lives and I always told buyers Berners lived to about 10 yrs based on my experiences. The quoted average of 7+ yrs is based on an average so if one dog dies at 1-2 yrs it really brings down the average and doesn't reflect those oldsters. Sandie Hawkins
Re: Do Berners ever die of old age?
Ok after this post I gotta step up to the plate and wish the last Sablemate litter a very happy belated 9th birthday!!! Their birthday was yesterday. Out of the nine in the litter we know of six and maybe even seven that are still going strong!!! Nell Ward's Sunny is out of the this litter and even though he has difficulties he's still enjoying life. My Merlin was diagnosed with Lymphangectasia 3.5 years ago and is living the good life on a special diet and my MeMe just retired this past March from the showring (less one major to her championship, but still moves beautifully and has many people guessing her age and no one was close!), but still enjoys her obedience, modified agility, carting (still does parades pulling kids in her cart) and her therapy work. I am sure there are others out there that have and are living till an older age... So let's hear it Cindy Stauch w/Merlin, MeMe, Brigadoon, Freya and Roscoe the Bernese Wanna-be Maine Coon Kitty Ann Arbor, MI USA
Re: Do Berners ever die of old age?
Hi All, My Xenta is 8 now; her parents lived to 10 and 13. There is an old Berner gal here in town who celebrated her 11th birthday last month. Many of them live to a ripe old age, but the early cancer deaths bring the average age of death way down. terry thompson missoula, montana At 02:33 PM 05/29/03 -0400, maria wrote: Hi List, I've been following this list since last September and see all of the postings about cancer deaths (Histio roll call) and other illness related Berner deaths. This got us wondering if there are any of you out there who had a Berner who died of old age and if so to what age did they live. It can't be as bad as it sounds. We love our little guy very, very much and know that the average life span is only 6-7 years because of the illnesses they are prone to. We would really like to hear some of the stats on the lucky Berners who live a long, full, happy, and healthy life. Let us know. Thanks Maria, Mark, Arabia (the Lab) and Jack (the Berner) Ringwood, NJ
Re: Do Berners ever die of old age?
In a message dated 5/29/2003 2:35:54 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: We would really like to hear some of the stats on the lucky Berners who live a long, full, happy, and healthy life. My first berner turned 11 last February. If there was such a thing as knee replacement for dogs, she'd be a prime candidate but she's still perfectly capable of going up and down a full flight of stairs and wags her tail merrily as she trots through the woods. I believe at least one of her siblings is still living and a full brother passed last month after turning 10 a few months earlier. From a totally different pedigree, I have a 5.5 y.o. dog who's sire will turn 10 next week...his dam turned 8 in January. To the best of my knowledge, both are doing fine. On his paternal side (aka: the top line or side)...both grandparents died after their 9th birthday. I don't have info beyond that generation as those dogs were all in Europe. On his dam's side (aka: bottom line or side) his maternal grandmother died after 11 yrs of age and his maternal grandfather died at appx 9 yrs. So in the 2 generations immediately behind him, all of the dogs lived well past the average age of 7 yrs. Going back further on his dam's side, by each generation...dogs died at: 10, 10, 7, 11 11, 9, 5, 11, 11, 10, 10, 10 8, 11, 11, 10, 9, 10, 11, 10, 10, (7 unknown) You can see that on this side of the direct line pedigree, double digits are not at all uncommon...they're actually the norm. I wish I had similar information on the extended pedigree to see how the family as a whole faired, but I'm afraid I don't. So enjoy every day with your Berner and let fate (and genetics) fall as it will... ~ Sherri Venditti
Re: Do Berners ever die of old age?
Absolutely! :-) I just lost a girl who was 2 weeks short of 14. I showed her at the National Specialty in Veterans at age 13 and she won her class in Sweepstakes and was 3rd in her regular Veteran class. In the end, she began to get picky about eating and I knew I was not getting needed supplements like glucosomine, MSM, Vit C, etc. down her. One day she just sat down and could not get up without help. I wanted her to go out with dignity and had her put to sleep before she began to not be able to get up to go out for the bathroom etc. She had a wonderful, long, healthy life! Rest in peace my wonderful little Cynosure's Ritzy Rival V Sajan! Typically, my other Berners have died at age 9 and I currently have one who will (hopefully) be 10 in September. Gail Miller Cynosure Bernese in Arkansas [EMAIL PROTECTED] - Original Message - From: maria [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Bernese Mountain Dog Mailing List [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2003 1:33 PM Subject: Do Berners ever die of old age?
Re: Do Berners ever die of old age?
Hi Maria, You can find some lucky Berners who have or had good longevity if you visit my site named as Aged Dog's Directory at: http://www.tcp-ip.or.jp/~inaba/directfr.html All dogs in the world aged more than 10 are sincerely welcome to the Directory. --- Tadao Inaba (Nagoya, Japan) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.tcp-ip.or.jp/~inaba/ ** Aged Dog's Directory is now of 774 friends ** ** including 8 Berners ( 2 males and 6 females / 3 alive and 5 at the Bridge ) ** - Original Message - From: maria [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Bernese Mountain Dog Mailing List [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, May 30, 2003 3:33 AM Subject: Do Berners ever die of old age?
