Dipcdame
Very Well-Known Member
Yesterday saw the passing of our precious fur baby, my 'baby boy', Arthur. He was an English Mastiff X Shepherd, and the most placid, laid back, gentle giant it was ever our pleasure to own, love and be loved by.
We got him just over eleven years ago, and have had eleven years of such joy and fun with him. He was a playmate for our teenage son, rollicking around and rough-housing each other around the back garden, play fighting for the rope, yet he was also a gentle guardian of my three year old granddaughter several years ago, playing with his rope with her, but without an ounce of roughness in him. He seemed to know.
Friday night, he seemed a little out of sorts, Saturday morning, he was bringing up everything he could, even a sip of water seemed to do an immediate U-turn and come out straight away. A visit to the vet, antibiotics and anti-emetic jabs and the possibility of perhaps an enlarged spleen, and we were home with him again, with instructions to withold all food and water till yesterday morning.
He still wasn't right, in fact a little worse, he was lethargic and weak. Back to the vets, who sent us straight to the emergency hospital for rehydration and a full check up. We took him straight there, he was so uncomplaining, putting up with everything that was going on around him. My last view of him was him being led into the treatment room, as he followed the vet without even looking back. the phone call with the dreadful news came two and a half hours later, it was not only a shock to us, but the vets too.
I have lost my best little mate, my shadow, he was never very far from where I was. He slept on the floor at the foot of the bed all through winter because of his arthritis, I couldn't sleep last night, there was no licking as he cleaned himself, no movement, no groaning as he finally got into position to sleep, nor big sighs or snoring (which he did quite loud).
I will miss you my beautiful baby boy, life will never be the same again without you.
We got him just over eleven years ago, and have had eleven years of such joy and fun with him. He was a playmate for our teenage son, rollicking around and rough-housing each other around the back garden, play fighting for the rope, yet he was also a gentle guardian of my three year old granddaughter several years ago, playing with his rope with her, but without an ounce of roughness in him. He seemed to know.
Friday night, he seemed a little out of sorts, Saturday morning, he was bringing up everything he could, even a sip of water seemed to do an immediate U-turn and come out straight away. A visit to the vet, antibiotics and anti-emetic jabs and the possibility of perhaps an enlarged spleen, and we were home with him again, with instructions to withold all food and water till yesterday morning.
He still wasn't right, in fact a little worse, he was lethargic and weak. Back to the vets, who sent us straight to the emergency hospital for rehydration and a full check up. We took him straight there, he was so uncomplaining, putting up with everything that was going on around him. My last view of him was him being led into the treatment room, as he followed the vet without even looking back. the phone call with the dreadful news came two and a half hours later, it was not only a shock to us, but the vets too.
I have lost my best little mate, my shadow, he was never very far from where I was. He slept on the floor at the foot of the bed all through winter because of his arthritis, I couldn't sleep last night, there was no licking as he cleaned himself, no movement, no groaning as he finally got into position to sleep, nor big sighs or snoring (which he did quite loud).
I will miss you my beautiful baby boy, life will never be the same again without you.
