The results were still not good, his cell count was still low, we know he will never be healthy enough to have the operation.
Tuesday 8th January 2008, it is his 12th birthday, a birthday card has arrived from Chris and Dave, his breeders . Bruno has not got out of bed this morning for his breakfast, so I hand fed him. Last night when he managed a chicken fillet shredded. He manages Smackeroos (dog biscuits) and toast but he has lost weight and is tired, spending a lot of time in his basket and nervously moving into the living room were he uncomfortably sits down on a rug.
His bum must be worrying him as he has now started to lick the lump. Bruno is a very sensitive dog he is not one for bum licking as some dogs are, he would always stand outside waiting when ever he had a problem and wait for me to check it or clean it.
He managed another fillet of chicken blended and a piece of toast and Smackroos over the day. We know it’s now nearly time but not on his birthday.
Wednesday 9th January 2008, again he does not get out of his bed and refuses to eat anything for breakfast. During the morning he manages to get upstairs to me in the study and lays on the rug next to me when I realise his lump is bleeding again and he has left a trail of blood from his bed, up the stairs and into the study. He came to tell me he had a problem. I have managed to stop the bleeding and clean him and the carpets.
I phoned Sue at work and we agree to arrange for the Vet to call tomorrow, when Sue is at home.
Thursday 10th January 2008 he again does not eat, but we have planned a short walk so we show him his harness, but he stays in bed. As we put it away he gets out and stands waiting for it to be put on. He and Brandy trot out to the car as if it was just another day and we help him in. As we get to the car park for the short walk along the river he hops out of the car and turns around looking for his ball, his tail slowly wagging. "Not today son", I say as I know he does not have the strength. So off he wanders with Brandy his back legs seem to blow around in the strong wind. We only do a short distance and turn around and he slowly trots back panting heavily. Back home he goes to his bed. Julia the vet will phone before she sets out to us.
The dreaded phone call comes and a few later minutes the door bell rings, its Julia our vet with Lisa the nurse. Bruno climbs out of bed and trots to the door, tail wagging to meet them. But we know its time we always said it was quality of life that counted and his was going down fast.
Julia says that none of her staff wanted to come but Lisa drew the short straw. She has brought his favourite custard creams, he ate one slowly and then another. Normally they would have gone in at a gulp but not today.
Whilst Lisa craddles him Julia administers the drug. The end comes very quickly and he lay so peacefully and calm. Sue and I in floods of tears, I had lost my second best mate, the first is Sue. I felt I had betrayed him but it was time. Brandy came in from the living room and walked over him as usual before realising something was wrong then left the room. She will be as lost as we are.
We took him to the Lincolnshire Pet Crematorium, Boston were I carried him into the Chapel of Rest. There he was laid out on a white sheet partly covering him and flowers laid around him. Through the tears I laughed to myself as I could see him letting us do that to him when he was alive. He looked so calm and relaxed. I knew we had done the right thing even though it has been the hardest thing to do in my life. Humans can understand they are ill and communicate to us but animals can’t, they rely on us and our judgement.
A friend of mine says he would rather lose his wife than lose another dog, no not for me but a close second. I arrange to collect his ashes next week and we will find a place to lay him to rest.
We collected his ashes in an Oak casket with a brass plaque "Bruno 1976-2008" very tastefully done.
We have decided that we will bury him amongst the three Silver Birch Trees in out garden where he will not be disturbed and will always have a tree to wee on. But what to mark his grave with?
The answer came to us on the front page of our local paper. Crowland Parish Council was clearing the Grave yard of the 8th Century Crowland Abbey of old stones that had been part of the much larger Abbey. As Bruno loved to run on Snowden Fields at the rear of the Abbey we thought stones from it would be fitting to mark his grave.
28th January 2008 another emotional day. We have just cleared an area amongst the three Silver Birch trees and buried Bruno, placing his favourite soft ball with him. Brandy just lay at the edge of the grave looking at the box and ball saying good bye to her mate. After a moment of quiet thoughts, we placed the lime stone from Crowland Abbey over the spot to mark his resting place, while Brandy just lay there looking on. Gone but never forgotten.
The number of cards, flowers, emails and phones calls has surprised us, we didn't realise how much Bruno had affected so many people during his short life. Some of the many messages are on the next page.
Even though Bruno has passed away, I will update this site with news and new pictures, so please do keep reading the entire site and passing it on.
Brandy has been very quiet and lost, we wondered what to do, should get her another mate? Is it too soon for her or us? She finally shows her loss and whimpers all night. We can't let her be alone and go looking for a puppy, A springer of course but all the liver and white ones remind us so much of Bruno so we find a black and white dog called Lucky. To us he is Bracken, named after Brunos father.