Bye bye Milo

(taken 5.3.13)

Sadly on Thursday evening my little dog Milo passed away. I had mentioned he hadn't been well, but after he threw up a small piece of potato he was back to my bouncy barking boy.

All day Thursday he was his usual self, he even eat the extra pasta that I had cooked for him at teatime. Just after 7pm he walked out of the living room, but he was all wobbly, I laid him down and it was if he couldn't really focus on me. He laid there moaning, so I phoned the emergency vet. On the way to take him over he stood up to follow me out, turned round and completely collapsed. Hubby lifted him off the floor and put him in the car. When I got there it was like carrying a small child, he had his head on my shoulder and I had to lay him down so carefully. The vet gave him a good checking over, there was nothing physically wrong with him, so she thought he had had a stroke, this was what I was thinking. I was given the choice to try and treat him, but he was over 12 years old and before we got him he had been through enough. So I covered him with cuddles and tears as he quietly slipped away. I am heartbroken, he has been by my side through so much. But, we get pets to love them and be loved by them, I know the last 10 years of his life we had that. But, I want to have what we know about his early life written somewhere too.

Early 2003 I talked my now hubby into getting a dog. We went to Dogs Trust at Sedbergh, first way round the first block my list was full. But, I got it narrowed down, but for one reason or another the ones I chose weren't suitable for our situation. But, there was the cutest dog wandering behind the people behind the counter. Keith said we'd have him, but we were told that Tyler had been booked, but we could have a look at his brother Milo who was still in hospital. We were told that he would bark at us. We went round to the hospital, Milo did bark, but he had my heart straight away. We then got to know why he was in hospital.

Sedbergh Dog's Trust is sort of on the brow of a hill, and instead of his previous owners taking him in they dropped them off outside. Even after his ordeal Milo had no fear of cars, and he was hit by a passing driver, he went in the the Dog's Trust when the came out they found him in the bushes, not moving. Turn's out the poor little mite had a broken back, so Dog's trust being dogs trust they operated on him, and he had a plate in his back. When we got him he was just getting some downy hair through. When he got wet you could see the huge scar running the length of his back. He was also a bit unsteady on his feet, but he soon strengthened up. 

Seeing how jumpy and flinchy he was was heartbreaking, he had obviously taking some beatings, bless him. I had decided he was going to sleep in the back lobby, but Milo decided he wanted to sleep at the foot of the stairs. That way no one could get past him without him knowing. If people were in different rooms he would constantly pace, when everyone was in the same room he was so happy and content. He was also my shadow, he was so bad I had to turn round and give him time to get behind me so that I didn't stand on him, that is going to take some getting used to. When I went to work I used to drop him off my mam and dads, my dad would take him for long walks round the moor. My original plan for his ashes were to scatter them on the moor, but William asked for a grave, so we're going to put them on top of my mam and dad's grave, just seems right, he was with them so much for most of his life anyway.

I always knew that I'd not see him in pain, so making the final decision for him was easy, even if it was one of the hardest choices I've ever had to make.

The story of my Milo is longer, but I am typing this through my tears, we adopted him on Valentines day 2003, so we had him as part of our family for just over 10 years, my kids came after, so they have always known him.

RIP my doggy boy, you are so missed 

14.2.2003-21.3.2013

xxx