Ash
Known to his family as Ashley-dog, Ash was a confident, caring and truly loving labradoodle who enjoyed his hikes and adventures, no matter how wet and windy they were. He was never the most confident swimmer but he absolutely made up for that with a commanding bark, his way of ensuring his role within the household as “guard-dog”. For anyone that knew him, they will know full well that his role was definitely a performance and was not taken seriously; he was the biggest softie, which we all adored.
Moving into his older years he started to slow down steadily and he was more susceptible to feeling unwell. That was until he turned 9 years old, when his voice began to change. His breathing became heavy and he developed a nasty cough that would follow after a few barks, leaving us all puzzled, but unknowingly we carried on as normal (if only we had known of his troubles sooner). In the summer of 2023, Ash was 10 years old when he had two extreme overheating episodes while out on warm summer's day walks that left him panting for release. Release that was not forthcoming, never an issue in the past.
After seeing his local vets and then being referred to a specialist at their earliest availability, Ash was diagnosed with Laryngeal Paralysis, one of the defining features of GOLPP. His larynx was partially paralysed, leaving him unable to breathe effectively and, importantly, pant - a dog’s primary way of regulating heat. In July 2023 he underwent the surgical operation known as a ‘laryngeal tie-back’ that permanently opened his larynx. The surgery was a success; however, the following day he found out that he had lost his bark. In truth, this was a bigger blow for his family rather than himself, and he was still able to hold confidence without a voice. Due to the operation he was also no longer allowed to swim because of the risks associated with his new physiology.
In 2024, now 11 years old, Ash had undergone multiple general anaesthetic procedures, small surgeries, and the major surgery on his larynx, all following one after another. This accumulation of health-related procedures, coupled with the diagnosis of arthritis, all had compounding effects on his active lifestyle and well-being. He lost lots of muscular definition and seemed to age exponentially over those 24 months, severely affecting the life he was able to live. At the same time, we began noticing changes in his mobility. He was becoming weaker and less stable, and regularly struggled with the placement of his paws, often resulting in him dragging his claws.
Following the diagnosis of arthritis, he began physiotherapy, which he absolutely loved. He finally found a release, but this time for his joint pain. The therapist that Ash was getting extremely comfortable with suggested that his symptoms were most likely the result of GOLPP, something that we had never heard of before.
Determined as ever, and fuelled with a tasty new diet from Butternut Box, Ash was willing to make the most of his last few years with us. Assisted by a number of painkillers and supplements, and following the therapist’s rehab plan, Ash was beginning to put some muscle back on. As the weeks rolled by he was enjoying his smaller but more frequent walks, and especially loving all of the attention in the form of physio exercises that had him foraging for treats around the garden - he was making good progress.
His journey managing GOLPP continued through his 12th birthday on the 29th May. During this time he was beginning a new relationship with his newly born baby brother, which was blossoming, and they became inseparable.
Just as we were all beginning to understand what GOLPP meant for Ash, we were hit with the devastating news that no family ever wants to hear. Ash was diagnosed with a malignant sarcoma.
Sadly, just 6 weeks after his diagnosis, Ash passed on the 14th November 2025, aged 12.
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GOLPP didn’t take Ash’s life, but it weakened him and profoundly affected his quality of life in his senior years.
