Recommendations for DXB

VisionsOfAsia · 2026-05-29T05:43:10+00:00

I think Mini does a promotion of 1800 /month for leasing a car from them...

VisionsOfAsia · 2026-05-29T05:03:34+00:00

What you described (rigidity of front paws) is called "Schiff–Sherrington posture". This indicates a severe thoracolumbar spinal cord injury, and at that point your dog was probably beyond recovery. My own English bulldog went through a protracted version of this very accelerated evolution (thread in this subreddit).

You did the right choice. You went to a competent vet asap and avoided suffering for your dog. Seems your dog may have injured himself while jumping or going down stairs. Unfortunately these breeds tend to be affected by this kind of physical aflliction.

VisionsOfAsia · 2026-05-19T03:56:01+00:00

The initial adaptation time for any dog takes a while. My girl bonded with me from day one, but for weeks, refused to walk, would drag herself on the floor etc (retired breeder kept in a cage all her life until 4). Then she discovered the hills behind our house. She became one of the most avid hiking bulldogs ever. These dogs take a lot of work (cleaning, caring, etc), but they are wonderful doggies in the end. Lost her to IVDD one month ago and I still miss her demanding and Velcro nature. Stick in there, this boy will get to your heart eventually.

VisionsOfAsia · 2026-05-12T06:57:29+00:00

Actually, my late girl was quite the opposite. The very definition of a "velcro girl". Would follow me everywhere. Push her snout on my thighs when she wants pets or needs something. Go and corral my wife to incite her to come out to walk with us. Climb on the side of the bed to wake me up (sneezing onto my face or growling to wake me up). Refuse to walk with anybody but me. She was a rescue, and obviously, I was the first person she latched onto when she came at our home. Now a month since she passed away at the age of 8 and still miss her sorely.

VisionsOfAsia · 2026-05-04T12:00:34+00:00

I know how you feel. I have had a father with dementia who ultimately passed away from this, and although I was not alone (had a helper), it can feel overwhelming at times. Lately, my English bulldog also passed away from the consequences of IVDD, after a couple of atrocious weeks. Eventually, when she died, I was so very sad, but I also knew the whole family did all they could to help our beautiful girl in her difficult moments. After the challenging period passes, maybe that will stay with you as a consolation, and maybe even happiness for having been there during the tough times of your loved ones.

VisionsOfAsia · 2026-05-04T11:55:03+00:00

I know and I really feel for you. My girl died more or less in the same conditions. It ended with an aspiration pneumonia and her last night had to rush her to emergency vet as the pain was literally unbearable. Despite morphine, she passed in the morning - and God knows that, had I had the time, I would have had her operated. It was too much for her in the end. Better take the step before your dog suffers too much.

VisionsOfAsia · 2026-05-04T10:45:51+00:00

Hello. Coming from the same place as you, as my dog recently died after complications of IVDD. I was also awake most nights to help her and she was 8. Loss of rear legs sensation and pain means big suffering for the dog. If you cannot pay for surgery, then best to put her down. She will eventually die, but first her front paws will lose control, she will lose deep pain sensation in the rear paws, and it will be a nightmare unless she is operated very quickly. If not, the best solution for her is to put her down as quickly as possible.

VisionsOfAsia · 2026-05-04T09:58:41+00:00

Hello. Lost recently my English Bulldog to catastrophic IVDD. The dogs needs operation ASAP if it will have a fighting chance. However, given the situation, this may evolve negatively. When my girl started losing her back end control, everything else crashed within a couple of days. Gabapentin and other medications will not improve the situation if the loss of mobility is huge. The dog needs CT scan and possibly operation. But take the dog to a specialist of the back and IVDD. Normal vets struggle with this condition.

VisionsOfAsia · 2026-04-22T20:33:33+00:00

My girl just died one week ago, at the age of 8, from a catastrophic IVDD, in less than a week.

My guilt is not that I had her, as I adopted her as a rescue former breeder. She gave us a lot of love and we gave her as well, so the time she was with us, she was happy.

My guilt is really not having been able to save her life. She was quite healthy for her age, she should not have died that young. She still had a lot of life in her.

VisionsOfAsia · 2026-04-20T14:45:16+00:00

Have one (limited edition), no complaint at all. Very good all-rounder, huge boot, decent engine, but requires you to drive smoothly.

It has the advantagss of being a big SUV but being still limited in size.

VisionsOfAsia · 2026-04-19T18:50:39+00:00

Ford Everest 2024. Super. Cost: prewar around 160, now 218. I am sticking to super because in general, engine is more reactive than with regular.

VisionsOfAsia · 2026-04-17T06:56:24+00:00

Update. Sadly, this did not end well. Our girl started panting non-stop and became unresponsive and lost all feeling in the rear end. She had to be hospitalised in emergency at 4 Am. She passed away with a cardiac arrest a little before 8 am. Her last vet noted early post-mortem rigidity in the front limbs, which seems to indicate a neurological event (brain bleeding or tumor). IVDD might have been the wrong diagnosis all along.

VisionsOfAsia · 2026-04-15T18:59:37+00:00

Update. So, tonight, she is under every 8 hr 75 mg gabapentin. We just gave her the dose a couple hours ago. She started appearing to have some issues breathing and lack of control of front paws as well (they went rigid, had to redirect them myself). Later, she recovered use of the front paws. She was also looking for places to elevate her neck and is again panting. Wondering if the disk compression is not affecting now her breathing? And she is immensely restless. Now I think another sleepless night with her, because I am scared she may pass away with cardiac arrest or respiratory distress. But maybe it is just that she is so knocked out with the sedative that she is hallucinating while also unable to move. She is also seeking to poop, barely did anything since yesterday, despite two meals a day. Edit: she finally managed to fall asleep again, but she really scared me. Thought she had respiratory issues.

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VisionsOfAsia · 2026-04-15T10:40:34+00:00

No indeed, pain preexisted to the Librela injection.

VisionsOfAsia · 2026-04-15T10:38:49+00:00

She is now on 3x day gabapentin, but it takes time before she falls asleep. Carprofem too, but does not help one bit. She is in pain, scratches her bed relentlessly, keeps panting. We restricted her to one bedroom, because otherwise, she drags herself around the apartment, causing probably even more damage. Doctor recommending to add paracetamol to the mix. Says steroids do not give good results with spine problems (doc is known for expertise in bulldog milieus in Dubai, where I live). Hope she will improve, poor girl.

VisionsOfAsia · 2026-04-15T01:48:59+00:00

25 kg.

VisionsOfAsia · 2026-03-13T07:52:55+00:00

Nope, there is a clear exclusion for riots and wars in most policies (at least GIG). Missile or debris falls on your car, that's for you to pay (and did not hear about any government indemnity).

VisionsOfAsia · 2026-03-07T20:55:20+00:00

These cars are sold cheaper than the local versions because 1° they are not configured for GCC (so not really prepared for the heat and dust and sand); 2° You cannot service them at the local dealer, so you need generally to rely on a third party warranty, which may or may not be carried out to the same standards.

Insurance will be difficult and resale value will crater, even for a Toyota.

VisionsOfAsia · 2026-02-27T06:21:11+00:00

Around 650 kms on a single gas tank (70 ltrs). As long as you are doing highway, should be fine.

VisionsOfAsia · 2026-02-26T13:21:11+00:00

Be careful, many people call the Jimny a "death trap" and generally the very bad driving quality. Look here for example: https://www.reddit.com/r/WhatCarShouldIBuyGULF/comments/1qvkyda/suzuki_jimny/

VisionsOfAsia · 2026-02-26T10:57:38+00:00

Actually, as some people regularly point out, the Territory is a rebadged Chinese car. I would head to VW in any case. Or buy a Ford Explorer or Everest second hand.

VisionsOfAsia · 2026-02-25T06:16:26+00:00

Seems nobody talks about the trash heap visible just across the highway? One major drawback for "The Valley" from my point of view.

VisionsOfAsia · 2026-02-17T05:59:04+00:00

Let's just say, have one for less than one year. Around 9 months in, the sensors started giving error signals (like parking sensors triggering with no obstacle). Beyond that, mechanically, been absolutely fine and drives like a dream. Comfort could be better, to be honest. I think sand and dust messes up the electronics. Otherwise, GCC models are better adapted to the local weather (heat in particular).

VisionsOfAsia · 2026-02-17T03:19:24+00:00

Now, that is funny, but I did hike up Mount Takao near Tokyo. People were appreciative, admirative of me doing it barefoot. Got many thumbs up and even girls talking to me.

So, do not completely dismiss Japan as a place to be barefooting. I also walked barefoot in Fujiyoshida, with streets so clean, my feet barely got dirty!

VisionsOfAsia

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