Your post makes me very sad. But it makes me realize that I need to have Darmok checked out for heart conditions that I may not be aware of. She is a big, heavy-built dobe, and has a massive barrel chest. The other day she was doing the semi-cough, more like a hacking that you describe, and my wife and I both thought that she had something stuck in her throat, but she didnt. It scares me. How old is Max? Dar just turned 3 this past December. I will pray for Max. I say a prayer at night for all the dogs that I know and the ones out there that need help that I dont know, too. Hopefully, your news will be better than you're expecting it to be.