You may remember earlier this year I told you that one of the SHAK dogs I was very proud to foster had been diagnosed with cancer.
Bruce, an older German Shepherd, that had been left abandoned on wasteland and tied to a tree before finding his way to us and then ultimately to my house, had been diagnosed with a splenic tumour that was malignant.
You may also remember how I told you he was being so brave and had made a miraculous recovery from the surgery to remove his spleen.
I'm finding it very hard to write this, but on Saturday evening even all the fight and courage he had shown wasnt enough, and we lost the sweetest of boys.
German Shepherds are prone to this type of cancer, I have lost a lot to it over the years.
It effects the spleen, which of course acts as a filter for blood as part of the immune system. This in turn means that the cancer invades the blood cells and is then transported all around the body. The spleen can be removed, but secondary tumours could be anywhere and the prognosis of extended life is very short.
Since his operation, Bruce was my shadow, companion and best friend. We had the memorable trip up Simonside that I told you about in a previous column, but he also went everywhere with me. He came to work, he went shopping, he even helped me with all the other dogs and putting the hens away on a night time. Such was our bond and trust he was never on lead and always stayed close enough to be able to keep an eye on me.
He slept on the floor at my side of the bed, always between me and the bedroom door. There was no way I was going to sneak past him, and I never ever wanted too.
Friday night I posted a video of Sadie on our Instagram page (shak_sanctuary_official) as she was staying over before her big day at Warkworth show. Right at the end you can see Bruce making sure she is ok. That's just how he was.
He looks so well on that clip, running and playing, even hunting for fallen apples as he always did. It's hard to believe that when we woke up the next morning he was dying.
I knew he wasnt right at breakfast time. He was just lethargic and didnt want to eat. We took him with us to the show and kept a constant eye on him, as did the vets from Moorview. By the evening he was no better and both myself and Rachel knew it was time.
The vets confirmed there was fluid in his abdomen and that it was probably blood from another tumour that had ruptured on another organ. He was fading in front of our eyes.
Bruce passed away with his head pressed against mine. As close as we could possibly get.
The expected life span of a dog with his disease is three months after surgery to remove the spleen. It is testament to his courage and determination that Bruce did just short of five months.
I am lost without him, but so proud to have been able to share that much time with an amazing friend and one we miss so much.
