# Sad final update on Klaus (random bouts of aggression in the home, sudden death)



## telavivgsd (Jul 6, 2016)

Hi all – I just recently realized that I never followed up with what happened with Klaus, and I thought it may be good to do in case someone ever came across my past thread looking for answers about their own dog.

The thread I’m following up on is here: http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/aggression-good-bad-ugly/680378-feeling-discouraged-distraught-little-panicked.html

I thought it would be easier to start a new thread since that one’s pretty long. The basic history was that Klaus was having random bouts of aggression at home, usually directed towards me.
The Paxil and training we did seemed to be helping Klaus, but only to an extent. Then, in May (on his first birthday actually), I was walking Klaus outside when we crossed paths with a woman walking a small dog, and Klaus lunged for it. At that point, he was not muzzled on walks, as he had never done something like that before, and the behaviorist didn’t think it was necessary. I stopped him from getting to the little dog, but in the process I received a pretty severe bite to my leg. In the confusion of me holding him back, it’s hard to say whether it was purely an accident or if he redirected to me out of frustration. 

After that, I had an even bigger problem than before, because I felt nervous around my dog, which of course makes things worse. Klaus was still having aggressive incidents in the house, and, at the advice of the behaviorist, we decided to have him neutered on the off chance that it might help. The surgery was its own debacle because he had a bad reaction to anesthesia, but neutering actually did seem to help. It took about 2 months before I saw any noticeable difference, but suddenly he started to have more good days than bad days, then more good weeks than bad days.

I was really happy to start having my dog back. But unfortunately, one evening in the end of July, we were at home hanging out, and I called Klaus to me. As he was walking towards me, his back legs slipped out from under him, and he half fell. I thought he had slipped on the wood floor, when it happened again, but he fell all the way down. My husband and I both went to him, and just like that, he stopped breathing and was dead. It all happened in less than a minute. 

We were going to rush to the emergency vet, but it was clear there was really nothing to be done. We were totally devastated. Because it was a holiday, we were unable to have a necropsy done. We did have a video of everything because I had left the camera we used to watch him during the day turned on. We showed it to our vet, and she said that it was likely something in his brain like a hemorrhage that had caused his death. A heart attack was another possibility, but she thought it was unlikely, especially since they closely checked his heart during his neuter surgery. 

Sorry for the post length, I just wanted it get the whole story out there, in case it could help someone someday. We took Klaus’ death really hard, but it did confirm for us that there was something medically, and not just behaviorally, very wrong with him. Despite everything, I still miss him a ton. We were never able to have a brain scan done, and my advice to someone in a similar situation would be to do one, because I think we may have seen something there. 

Thanks to everyone in this forum who gave us such wonderful advice and kind words when we were struggling with Klaus, I really appreciated all of it. I’m happy to talk to anyone who is ever going through something similar (God forbid) and give any advice I can.


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## Shane'sDad (Jul 22, 2010)

Sorry for what you went through with Klaus.....hopefully as you said your other thread and this one will help someone else who reads it....again Very Sorry for your loss......Thoughts and Prayers.


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## telavivgsd (Jul 6, 2016)

Shanes' Dad said:


> Sorry for what you went through with Klaus.....hopefully as you said your other thread and this one will help someone else who reads it....again Very Sorry for your loss......Thoughts and Prayers.


Thank you so much - I hope it can help someone too!


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

I am very sorry fir your loss. I remember your previous thread and everything you went through and tried with Klaus. I know he is at peace now.


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## sebrench (Dec 2, 2014)

Oh no. I'm so sorry for your loss of Klaus. I remember your previous thread and admired how hard you were working to find a solution. It definitely sounds like something neurological was causing his issues. I hope you have found some peace and some closure. And if you ever choose to welcome another dog into your family, I wish you a much easier experience.


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## CometDog (Aug 22, 2017)

Thank you so much for sharing, and so sorry that this happened to you. I went through something similar, though my dog did not collapse, we had to put him down because he was neurologically unraveling and bit my son badly, eventually. It was awful. Again, so sorry <3


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## car2ner (Apr 9, 2014)

so sorry and thank you for the update. It reminds me of a book I had read about a family with a very difficult dog. They tried everthing from soup to nuts in training and teaching to help this dog but nothing really stuck. They got another dog and it was a joy. So they knew it was the dog, not them. Then one day the dog suddenly died. It was an enlarged heart if I remember correctly. It may have been that the dog had been living with chronic discomfort it's entire short life. 

They loved their 2nd dog but they'll never forget the one they put sooooooooooo much effort into.


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## debr1776 (Feb 4, 2018)

I'm so sorry for your loss.


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## Aly (May 26, 2011)

I well remember your posts about Klaus and how hard you two were working on things. I'm so sorry to read that you lost him; and, so suddenly too. You did your best for him and he was coming back to you at the end. Hold on to that thought in your grief. 

My condolences,

Aly


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## telavivgsd (Jul 6, 2016)

Thank you all so much. Your kind words mean a lot. I am glad he’s at peace now - I know that whatever caused his aggression was hard for him, so I’m glad he’s free from that.


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## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

So sorry for your loss.You did all that you could to give him a wonderful life.RIP Klaus.


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## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

I am so sorry for your loss of Klaus. I remember your thread and all the work and effort you put into helping Klaus and trying to find ways to help him. Run free Klaus run free where you are happy and at peace. sending thoughts and support to you and your family. Take care 
Maggi


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## Nurse Bishop (Nov 20, 2016)

You tried so hard and treated him well. I commend you. He was coming toward you because you called him, and you and your husband were with him when he died. Something was wrong with his brain. But nothing was wrong with his heart. He loved you. Now he is free of his demons and is with God.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

I so am happy to hear that you had some good times and a little relief from all the problems before he passed.


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## Misha111 (Oct 31, 2016)

I remember your original thread. I am so sorry it ended this way. You did your absolute best for him when others would have given up. He is now running free x


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

So sorry for your loss. Krause is greatful for all that you have done for him.


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## Stevenzachsmom (Mar 3, 2008)

Oh sweetie, I am so sorry. It is always hard to lose them. Klaus was loved. He was so fortunate to have you as his person. Praying you heal and will one day be ready to open your heart to another dog - an easy dog. You deserve that.

Hugs!


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## telavivgsd (Jul 6, 2016)

Thank you all so much, truly your words mean a lot. I do hope his story may help someone else one day, not that I would ever wish for someone else to deal with the same issues.

Nurse Bishop - Like you said, I'm very glad we were there with him. I'm glad he wasn't alone in the end and that his favorite person, my husband, was next to him.


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## Heartandsoul (Jan 5, 2012)

I'm so sorry. I think the hardest part of owning and loving a dog that needs more attention and has issues with unacceptable behavior is their inability to talk. We who love them do all that we can with what becomes sometimes an insurmountable disadvantage through no fault of the human or the dog.

His story will help others but most importantly, his life gave you so much.

RIP Klaus


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