Lark, I am just so sorry you lost your precious Romeo & at such a young age. Bless you for letting us know which line was/is the potential culprit. It is NEVER easy to face this situation esp in one so young---but it has happened more than I wish & we can only pray that someday it will be spoken of in the past tense. Thank you for letting Romeo be examined so that others can benefit from his story. He did have a lovely, sweet face. We do understand your grief & I pray God will comfort you as you process this loss. Stay here w/us. We do understand. Big hugs.

 

I am so sorry for loss of your darling Romeo. He’s a handsome little Romeo. I am so sorry from the bottom of my heart. Your photos are absolutely beautiful. Run in the clouds Romeo bless you and you are in my prayers.

 

Lark, I would say I can't imagine the emotions you are having, but my first Maltese passed before she was a year old... it is always heartbreaking watching these precious souls fade away, and Romeo was such a beautiful boy. I hope he is surrounded by some of our others who have left us.

 

I just wanted to let you know that I share in your grief as I, and many of us here on SM have done so as well when we have lost one or more of our precious Malts or other Dogs. Not all that long ago Sandi lost her precious Lisi and we all were with her as we are here for you too. I am sure that your Romeo was greeted at Rainbow Bridge by all of ours who have gone before him. I am praying for you as you go through this very sad and difficult time.

 

. . . yes, way too many belong in this "unofficial club" & SM family. . . . our combined pain speaks volumes about the love we have shared w/our Maltese! Only recently Dee lost our little precious Cody! The list is way too long & the pain way too deep but we support one another in a way that is truly up-lifting. You are in good company here!

 

I am SO SO sorry for your loss … I completely understand your pain. I am praying for peace in your heart and home. We lost our precious angel Bella (our first Maltese) to MUE last year at a tender age of 3.5yrs. It’s a horrible condition! Bless your heart for letting your darling be examined. Our beautiful angels are all together playing in a field of painless serenity and they’re watching over us and protecting us. Sending you blessings and hugs during this time.

 

I am so heartbroken for you on the loss of your beautiful and brave Romeo. I lost my Maltese after a 3-1/2 year harrowing battle with GME - the most cruel of diseases. I cannot imagine losing my baby so soon after diagnosis and I am keeping you in my prayers as you mourn this tragic loss in your family.

 

Lark, My beautiful Aria has GME. She has had it for 11 months. I lost another maltese to GME too, a different breeder. My heart breaks for you!! Hugs and prayers to you! Deb and Aria

 

 

Lark ,So very sorry for your loss!It is so hard to lose our furry friends. I just had to put my male Maltese down 4-26-24 he had an enlarged heart,& collapsing trachea ems.He just could not be helped anymore with medications. Was one of the hardest things I have had to do.He was my 4th Maltese I miss him so much.We had him for 9 and a half years he would have been 10 in October.Your little man was so very cute; adorable face! Hugs.

 

So sorry to hear of everyone's tragedies. One breeder described it as the cruelest of diseases. I pray they find a way to genetically detect it and I pray that no one ever has to go through this again.

 

I have dealt with it twice. My 4 year old baby is on chemotherapy drugs. She is 4 years 2 months old. My husband who is a retired police seargent has the ability to make decisions on facts, I don't have those skills. When Aria had a second seizure he researched EVERYTHING! He made decisions with our amazing vet. We put her on prednisone, and took her to neurologist specialist. She is still alive, for how long I don't know. She is happy and having fun. When she isn't it will be about HER!

 

My darling and beautiful 4-year old Romeo has passed after a harrowing struggle with GME. He was the picture of health only two weeks ago, but then very quickly started to decline. He had difficulty walking on his back legs, wobbled and fell, had pain in his back (arched) and neck, sometimes shrieked out in pain. The first vet, quite wrong, thought it was luxating patella... The second vet, a few days later, told us to take him to a neurologist immediately, through emergency. We did so the next morning, at the excellent UC Davis Veterinary Hospital, and learned that he probably had GME or something similar. He had inflammation all along his spine and fluid in his brain, although his spinal fluid was normal, which they found confusing. They kept him for several days and, after MRIs and spinal taps were done, gave him prednisone. He responded very well, almost back to normal, running and playing, and we brought him home. But after just a few days on his moderate dose of prednisone he began to decline again, and, even after raising the dose of prednisone, there was no holding the disease back. Within a day or two, he was unable to stand up--even to pee--panting, and in pain--although he gallantly tried to rally. We drove him back to UC Davis. During the ride, he was gasping for breath. They immediately gave him oxygen. They said he was nearly blue. But it was to no avail. The neurologist said that, even with further tests (costing thousands), his prognosis was "guarded to poor." In other words, it was time to put him down, after only 4 years! I left his body for an autopsy, so that we can learn more about this horrible, frightening disease affecting our darling Maltese. My breeder thinks the MUA (or variant) came in through the Korean stud - Koko - owned by Linda McDonald - who has produced other GME dogs. Do avoid that lineage

 

I have no words. So tragic! Your sweet baby was taken way too young! So sad!

Lainie

 

I am so sorry💔 we lost our sweet Maltese in October to this disease. She was only three years old. I still shed tears for her nightly. It was the most traumatic death we have ever experienced.

If UC Davis still has your little ones body preserved (most likely they do if it is for research), you can tell them to contact University of Georgia and coordinate getting them a brain sample. University of Georgia has already identified the genes that cause Pug encephalitis and are currently needing more Maltese samples for Maltese encephalitis.

The university sends the shipping label to the vet.

For anyone else reading this who has a Maltese: Please consider donating brains after they pass AND mouth swabs now - which can be done while they are still alive. If you put your baby to sleep at the vet please ask the vet ahead of time if they can remove the brain soon afterwards & place it in formalin. If your baby passes at home they need to be taken to the vet immediately for brain removal.

Help Cure Canine Encephalitis

Some call it giving back. We call it taking care of one another.

gail.uga.edu

The direct number of the woman who coordinates the brain and saliva shipment is here: (706) 296-7818

Again, they can ALSO use the mouth swabs of Maltese who are still alive and who do not have encephalitis as well as brain samples of Maltese who died of something other than encephalitis. To be able compare the genes better.

I’m so sorry for your loss💔 Romeo is such a beautiful boy💗

 

I passed on your information to the neurologist at UC Davis who treated Romeo. Thank you.

 

Sorry for your loss.

 

I would like to retract a piece of information I gave in the first post of the thread. I said that the GME came in through Koko, the stud dog of Linda McDonald. But I do not know if that is the case. Apparently, she has had no cases of GME in that line. No one knows where this terrible disease comes from.

 

That has been what I have read/researched as well. It attacks small white dogs most often females. I have already lost one Maltese to it and my 4 year old has it. Although, she seems good I know it's only a matter of time. Completely 2 different breeders. Rest Romeo, you will forever be loved and missed!

 

Hi everyone, I felt compelled to make my first comment on this thread. I lost my 4 yr old Sunny on 12/2/24. He was diagnosed with GME on 8/16/24. It is the most horrible thing I’ve ever experienced. My heart goes out to anyone who has dealt with this disease. I was fortunate to have my sunshine baby from birth. I have his mom (Bunny pictured with him below) & his dad (Sushi). A few days after his seizures started I brought him to the neurologist where he was diagnosed. I brought him twice a week to receive acupuncture as well his bi weekly appointments to the neurologist. No amount of chemo, immunosuppressants, herbs, etc would save him. Absolutely no expense was spared. I would have given my house, car, body part, absolutely anything to save him. It’s such a cruel world we live in. It’s only been a few days but my sadness seems to be getting worse.

Lark I know I’m a little late but you have my deepest condolences. Our poor little babies did not deserve this!

sorry for the overload of pictures.

 

Hi everyone, I felt compelled to make my first comment on this thread. I lost my 4 yr old Sunny on 12/2/24. He was diagnosed with GME on 8/16/24. It is the most horrible thing I’ve ever experienced. My heart goes out to anyone who has dealt with this disease. I was fortunate to have my sunshine baby from birth. I have his mom (Bunny pictured with him below) & his dad (Sushi). A few days after his seizures started I brought him to the neurologist where he was diagnosed. I brought him twice a week to receive acupuncture as well his bi weekly appointments to the neurologist. No amount of chemo, immunosuppressants, herbs, etc would save him. Absolutely no expense was spared. I would have given my house, car, body part, absolutely anything to save him. It’s such a cruel world we live in. It’s only been a few days but my sadness seems to be getting worse.

Lark I know I’m a little late but you have my deepest condolences. Our poor little babies did not deserve this!

sorry for the overload of pictures.
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So sorry to hear about Sunny! What a beautiful dog and taken way too early. I have what the vet has determined is a Maltese Mix. He's a therapy dog. We were at a hospital visiting patients and staff when a nurse came up to us. She was crying. She showed me pictures on her phone of the Maltese she had lost to GME two years earlier. Yes, losing a pet always hurts but I think losing one to GME is the worst. I met one gal who traveled all over the country trying to get someone who could help her with her Maltese that had the disease. When her's passed she allowed the body to be taken to a university that was researching the disease. So sorry...no words can ease your pain.

 

My Aria has GME. GOD Bless us she has made it with great quality of life for 17 months on a chemo drug. My heart breaks for you as I know my time left with Ari is limited! Prayers and Peace to you and precious furbaby

 

It is painful to read these posts. And there are too many of them! I hope they will make progress with this cruel and horrible disease. The pictures of Sonny are heartbreaking. He is such a sweet innocent boy. Maybe you have to do what I did. I purchased a new puppy within a month of Romeo's end. He is adorable and an absolute joy, but nothing replaces or could replace my darling Romeo nor erase the excruciating memory of those times. Yet my new boy Zephyr brings a new kind of mischief and happiness into my life. You did all you could and for that you can be grateful.