RIP Bracken

Yesterday our beloved Golden Retriever Bracken died. He was only 6 years and 2 months old.

He had seemed a little under the weather during the weekend and during the morning walk he didn't want to run around as he usually would and instead walked by our side. His tummy seemed slightly bloated and so we made an apointment with the vet just to have him checked out.

They weren't sure what the problem was and so kept him in to run some tests. At 3.30 they called to say that the ultrasound had detected a mass on his spleen and they were going to operate. At 4.30 they phoned to tell us that he had a huge cancerous tumour that had already spread and it was terminal. We had the option of letting him go while still under the anaesthetic or having him stitched up and sent home for a week or so before he would need to be put down. That seemed too cruel and so we went with the first option even though that didn't give us a chance to say goodbye.

The boys loved him so much and are utterly broken hearted. He was very much their dog and truly was the nicest dog in the whole world.

He has left a huge empty hole in our hearts and our lives.