Roman - A Dog in Need!
 Roman This sweet guy is Roman. He is one of our hospice dogs. Roman is a 7 year old fawn doberboy who came to DAR&E from a Virginia family when his owners could no longer care for him in August 2009. He was a bit overweight and displayed an irregular heartbeat whenever he got excited or after vigorous exercise. His x-ray showed a slightly enlarged heart which lead to further testing. Sadly, an echocardiogram revealed a diagnosis of Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM).
Dobermans, like some other breeds have a genetic predisposition to DCM. DCM occurs when the heart becomes weakened and enlarged to the point where it is no longer pumping efficiently. The decreased ability of the heart to pump causes fluid to start leaking and backing up into the lungs. If left undiagnosed, it will progress to ending in heart failure. Luckily for Roman, his was caught in the early stages. He is currently
taking the proper medications to keep his symptoms in check. Roman really loves to go for walks, but he may even be too smart for his own good. He has the uncanny ability to know when he needs to rest and will simply stop and refuse to move. Sometimes he feels the need at an inconvenient time..... like right in the middle of an intersection! His foster mom said he has done just that. Thank goodness for both of them it was in a low traffic area. They waited, the neighbors wondered, and then when HE decided they had rested long enough, they continued on their walk. You gotta love a man, with a plan.
Roman may appear sad because of his prolapsed eyelids, which make his eyes droopy, but he's a lover. He loves people and is like velcro to his dobersister. His skin and coat has improved with medicated baths since he's been in foster care and he has lost a little weight. He is still a little slow to get moving in the morning, but somewhere between chewing his favorite bone and de-stuffing his
toys, always manages to log plenty of couch time.
UPDATE: November 2009 Roman also had a Holter test, which is a test that continually records the patient's EKG for 24 hours while notes are taken about times and activities throughout the period. This information helps doctors correlate symptoms like irregular heart rhythms. Roman's test did not detect any significant heart arrhythmia. Now that he has been on his heart medications, he is well on his way to feeling like the healthy, beautiful doberman he was born to be.
UPDATE: February 2010 Roman's first ultrasound gave the vets a baseline reading of his heart function. He recently had another ultrasound performed to determine the progression of his DCM. We are happy to say, the medications are working and there has been no change. Roman will continue to be monitored periodically to manage his condition.
UPDATE: October 2010 Roman found his furever home with his foster mom. Roman was not only adopted but when his foster mom got married, Roman also got married to his foster-mate, Rosie! While his DCM in under control, he will still need to be monitored and his medications adjusted as time goes on.
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