Blogging A-Z - April Challenge - M is for .....

M is for.....Monty

In keeping with the current pet theme. Here is our beloved Monty.

Monty 1997 - 2008.
This photo was taken in June 2004 when Monty was enjoying the sun!

Monty was a really beautiful dog - much like Alfie in some ways, and I guess that is part of the temperament of the breed - Border Terrier and partly how we treat our pets - they are really part of the family.

We had had Monty from a puppy when he selected us at the home of the breeder. He came and sat between Stuart's legs whilst he was crouched down stroking another of the same litter. We knew then he was the one! He had his claws painted with nail polish so we could find him again when he was ready to leave his mum!

Monty developed epilepsy and when he was about 7 years old. We awoke one Sunday morning to him having a fit and called the vet. He was then stabilised on medication and remained on the whole fit free, but every now and again would have one. 

Then at the end of August 2008 Monty had a fit and the vet was called. No amount of his medication would help. He was given a general anaesthetic as very often when dog's come round they are fit free. We bought him home and sat round the clock with him until Monday morning. We thought we had mastered it, he had been wrapped in a blanket in the lounge with us for more than 12 hours and we were taking him back to the vets with the intention of having a scan to determine what the next steps were. Then Monty had another fit. The vet repeated the process of another general anaesthetic, but this time it was not successful.

We only had one option open to us for the sake of Monty and sat within until the very end. It was tragic, both of our beloved pets gone within the space of 6 weeks. The two smallest individuals in the household and yet they left the biggest gap.