Brooklyn came to us in July 2009 when he was 12 weeks old...

A very normal puppy... we thought... He slept a lot – like all puppies do. We also went to dog school. After the course social gathering was some kind of tradition to us. All the other dog owners praised our 'well-trained' little boy, because he was the only puppy that laid underneath the table and slept immediately. And all the other puppies still were very exhilarated. Even his excessive devotion and his distinct 'will to please' doesn't seem unusual to us – we interpreted it as positive trait of character... 

Until the first visit to the vet (I think Brooklyn was 14 weeks old) for revaccination. Our vet did a routine auscultation, then looked at us quiet insecure and advised us to make an appointment for a cardiac ultrasound because some heart murmur might exist.

We were a bit afraid, but we thought it might be nothing serious – he still was so young... A few days later we went to the veterinary clinic in Ludwigsburg-Ossweil, a clinic we are still very happy with today. 

Right after the cardiac ultrasound we got the sad diagnosis: moderate subaortic stenosis with high-grade post-stenotic expansion of the aorta. Unfortunately classified as inoperable. They told us, Brooklyn would have a life-expectancy of no more than one year – our world collapsed and many tears flew from our eyes. How could it be that this tiny cheerful dog was so sick?

Of cause we immediately informed Brooklys breeder and she right away offers us to take him back. But that absolutely was out of question for us. Brooklyn shall lead a fine life, as long as it will last. We already closed him in our hearts so much.

And Brooklyn is a true fighter all the time.

With one year he ate a piece of his leash in our holidays in Denmark – following a hasty trip home, three operations and three weeks hospital stay with many ups and downs including the sorrows, if he will get through this whole thing. But he showed endless will to live and accomplished the impossible – we had the luck to bring him back home.

This past spring almost one liter lymphatic fluid had to be removed out of Brooklyns lung, which accumulated as a consequence of his heart disease. If the fluid emulates a huge and complicated operation would be necessary – we're really afraid of that. At brief intervals we go to the check-ups and luckily no considerable amount of fluid has emulated.

Brooklyn daily gets his medicine and special food. In April we celebrated his 7th birthday. He loves his big buddy Chic and enjoys his life. Finally in our holidays at the Baltic Sea Brooklyn splashes around just as if nothing had ever happened. Of cause we notice that he behaves different especially on warm days. Hiking tours and similar things that are possible with 'normal' dogs are cancelled for us. 

Brooklyn has to be protected. He loves dummys – but he is extremely happy each time when we throw one for him, that he overacts and really falls over. And this also happens when he plays with foreign dogs. Brooklyn walks faultlessly without leash, but contact to other dogs just takes place with leas because raving without leash leads to circulatory collapse.

If we follow 'our rules' Brooklyn can nearly lead a normal life with his – for this disease remarkable – seven years.

He is a cuddly, obedient, real dream dog and we hope, that we will be allowed to spend many good years more with Brooklyn.

(Christine Zöller, owner of Brooklyn)