Hey {{first_name}} , it's Gerald.
As many of you may know I took a big personal lost when Casanova passed earlier this year. Four years, six months. Foundational stud. Family member. Six figures in production. Gone from something most large breed owners have never heard of.
What to Expect in This Issue
What GDV (bloat) actually looks like when it happens
Why Dobermans, Rotties, and deep-chested dogs are high-risk
The timeline from "dog seems off" to emergency surgery
Why I paid $14K even knowing the odds
Reading time: 5 minutes
When Your Dog's Stomach Twists
Monday Morning, 6:30 AM
Monday morning. Will comes over to handle the morning routine. He calls me: "Casanova's not getting up."
That's all I need to hear. My dogs are more consistent than humans. When Casanova doesn't jump at the gate with his tail wagging, something's physically wrong.
His stomach looked like he was about to have a litter of 10 puppies. He hadn't defecated in 10+ hours. Wouldn't move.
We get him to Access Specialty Hospital. The diagnosis comes fast: Gastric Dilation Volvulus. His stomach had twisted. Without surgery, he'd be dead by nightfall.
"When your dog doesn't act like himself, you don't have time to wait. GDV doesn't give you a second chance."
The $14K Decision
Here's what they don't tell you about emergency vet care: They put you in a room and give you a number. You either pay it right there or your dog doesn't get surgery.
$2,000 for diagnostics. $12,000 for surgery.
The surgery: Remove dead stomach tissue. Stitch the stomach lining to the body wall so it can't twist again. Hope the organs haven't failed yet.
People asked me: "Why spend $14K on a dog?"
Because Casanova made me six figures in 4.5 years through:
Hundreds of breedings
Thousands of puppies sired
Music videos with Little Wayne and Benny The Butcher
Content that built my entire platform
But more than that - he was family. You don't calculate ROI when family needs you.
At 5 years old, he had years left. The surgery gave him a chance. That's all you can ask for.
48 Hours Later
The surgery went well initially. They removed the dead tissue. His vitals stabilized.
Then complications. His system couldn't recover from the trauma. Despite everything - the surgery, the monitoring, the round-the-clock care, his body shut down.
Casanova died from GDV complications 1 week after surgery…
"You can do everything right and still lose. That's not failure. That's just the reality of working with living creatures."
What Large Breed Owners Need to Know
GDV doesn't discriminate. It hits healthy dogs. Young dogs. Well-fed dogs.
Watch for these signs:
Bloated, distended stomach
Restlessness, can't get comfortable
Repeated attempts to vomit with nothing coming up
Excessive drooling
Rapid breathing or panting
If you see these symptoms: You have hours, not days. Get to an emergency vet immediately.
Prevention isn't guaranteed, but:
Don't feed right after heavy exercise
Avoid large meals before activity
Multiple smaller meals better than one large meal
Monitor deep-chested dogs closely
Even following all this, GDV can still happen. That's the reality of large breed ownership.
As I always say, Be Resilient - But Be Responsible. If you’ve ever taken a loss, you know my pain. Share your story and let me know what it was like for you. We’re all in this together.
Black Friday Week
Real quick!
Losing Casanova was a hard hit for me. I had to try and focus on building this platform, supporting the kennel, and keep the content coming.
If you've gotten value from what I share - check out the merch and dog food that keeps this platform running.
Every purchase supports free education for the dog community.
Until next time,
Interested in Mentorship?
Want to build your kennel the right way from day one?
I'm launching a Mentorship Program for breeders—whether you're starting from scratch or scaling an existing operation. Monthly, quarterly, and yearly options available. Affordable. Opening early sign-ups. Can only take on a limited amount.
Interested? Details here: "MENTORSHIP"
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