Keira25
Member
Sadly, we had to help our girl across the Rainbow Bridge on 10/15/13. I had posted previously on a problem with an infection in her paws. This turned out to be the tip of the iceberg and within a few days her elbows, under her chin, and groin area were all infected. It was at first thought to be some kind of systemic infection, then autoimmune disease. When the standard treatment didn't work, a biopsy was done. Unfortunately things deteriorated rapidly and we made the decision to euthanize her before the results were back. The pads of her paws were actually peeling off. She was so sick and miserable it was not a difficult decision. The results of the biopsy showed superficial necrolytic dermatitis, a rare and deadly disease. I searched on this site and saw one result, and the disease was just mentioned as a possibility. My only regret is the delay in the biopsy. It would have made no difference in the eventual outcome, but I would have made the decision to help her across the bridge a few days earlier. We miss her every day; our bedroom feels huge without her, and the silence is deafening. She was our first Newf and made us fall in love with the breed. We plan on waiting until the summer to welcome another Newf that we will love as much as Keira. She will, however, always hold a special place in our hearts.