Max
My Little Man Max
What a sweet and adorable puppy you were. You were the quiet one of the litter, and a little reserved when we went to visit you and your brothers and sisters. You stayed back a bit, watching, but still wanting to play. Eventually you came over to me, and we had a little cuddle and a pat.
On the way home in the car, you just slept.
Harry, our vet, inspected you and said you were healthy, but that we should give you lots and lots of exercise to strengthen your stumpy little legs: perhaps he knew something, or suspected something…
In the first few weeks, you were becoming a loving and adorable little boy, cheeky, inquisitive and mischievous, as all puppies are. You had a trait of growling when you didn’t get your own way and again, this is typical of how all puppies are – testing the boundaries and learning.
You certainly knew ‘come on’, ‘dinner’ and of course ‘Max’. How happy I was when I came home that day and your face lit up, and you came running to greet me at the front door as fast as you could; I thought this was the start of a daily routine for both you and me and I was so very happy.
You seemed to like walks up to the corner of our street, but you were also happy to stay on your bed – quite unusual for a Doberman puppy, I thought…
In the fourth week, you appeared quite quiet, not the bounding bundle of mischief you were. I took you to Harry again because I noticed your back right foot was pointing outwards at an odd angle – about 30 degrees from straight/usual. Harry was concerned and referred us to a colleague who specializes in motion, muscles and general mobility.
That night, you were very averse to moving and cried when you moved. That next morning, you didn’t really move at all, and cried when you did. That day, you moved no more than 12 inches all day. Harry said you had a bone growth disorder, most likely caused by malnutrition as a baby puppy – this caused a calcium deficiency and caused what the layperson calls Ricketts.
Harry advised me that you would have a life of pain and misery because of your bone growth disorder. Maxxy boy, as sad and heartbreaking as it was, it was decided, for your own wellbeing, that it was best for you to go to sleep. What a terrible thing to have to decide for a 10-week-old puppy!
Maxxy, we were with you and as we lifted you onto Harry’s table, you cried in pain, yet again.
You were cremated and now have a special place on the mantle, along with Samson, Jessie and Rex. You will hold a special place in my heart for you were part of this family, if only for a short while. I will remember you as a loving and happy puppy until you bones started playing up. I will always remember you sitting on my lap and suckling into my forearm. I will always remember what a loving little boy you were. My biggest sadness is I won’t get to experience so many things with you, and these won’t form deep memories: but I will remember you were loved, you loved us, and we only wanted to give you love
and a loving home, safety and comfort.
For my Little Man Max – thank you for being part of our lives, if only for a precious four weeks.
Always remember our Little Man Max,
| ♥Max♥ |
| 7, Apr 2009 |
| Greg |