Milo Has Left Us

 Milo has gone to the Happy Hunting Grounds.

He left us on Tuesday, 10 November 2020. Before that, he had been on 5 months of antibiotics. The problems started on his paws. First, a tumorous growth appeared on one paw. Milo gnawed at it and the wounds he self-inflicted, became infected. We covered him with antibiotics which helped, but then, he would gnaw at the growth again. So, we removed the growth via surgery and covered him with even more antibiotics. 

Then, the other 3 paws developed tumours. We operated on those as well, and did a biopsy. There was no evidence of cancer. So, we simply gave him even more antibiotics.

He was still recovering from surgery, when 50+ growths popped up all over his body. He looked like he had been bitten by giant mosquitoes. One by one the growths would burst open, and we would smell rotting flesh. We had to squeeze out the pus, one growth at a time 4 times a day, and clean it out with antiseptic. Else, flies would come buzzing, waiting to lay maggots onto his wounds.

Milo did not complain. He could not speak, so he could not tell us how much it hurt. He always smiled and still wagged his tail. When I came home, he would still clamour for cuddles from me. Then, in a space of 3 days, Milo degenerated very fast. He refused to eat and when he asked to go out into the garden to look out the front gate at his favourite view, his hind legss trembled from the effort. Then, I thought to myself, "Those sores cannot be painless. They burst open. Blood and pus leaked out. How can they not be painful?"

The vet came to the house. The whole family sat around Milo's head whilst the vet injected a drug into his hind leg. Milo passed with us all around him, stroking and petting him. He first fell asleep, and then snored, and then there was nothing. We wrapped him up in his favourite cat blankets.

I was not in the mood to do anything on Tuesday, 10 November 2020.

Up till the last, he still had that baby-ish look. Up till the last, he insisted to be right next to me when I ate dinner. Since he could not go to the dining table, we set up a foldable table next to his mat and ate there, with him. Then, he smiled. It was as if he understood that we were doing this to pamper him.

The Daughter took more than her fair share of Milo's care. She took him to the vet. She helped M clean his sores. She sat on the floor working on reports, keeping him company. She even foot Milo's vet bills.

He was a good dog, Milo. He guarded our house. He scolded me when I scolded my children. He made our food taste better simply because he enjoyed eating so much. He made us all feel loved.