AMOS - (Tailends 22.04.07 – 04.05.08)

Amos arrived at Tailends on Sunday 22nd April 2007 after a long journey from Ireland.  He was one of a number of dogs rescued from a house in Ireland where they had been left to starve.  He was a small underweight black greyhound-type boy with a lovely character.  He had a very large hole in the side of his mouth through to the nasal passage.  This caused him much distress with mucus continually blocking his nose and making it sore.  Blood tests and a veterinary examination showed that he was in general good health apart from this, and being underweight.  We hoped that Amos could have surgery to close this hole and prevent food continually entering his nose.  He deserved the best available care after years of neglect.

Our vet had never seen a hole as large as this in the mouth and did not think it had been caused simply by infection and decay from untreated rotten teeth.  We had to rule out the possibility of a bone tumour before we could look at future options for Amos.  Consequently Amos had a biopsy on 25th April where suspicious-looking tissue was removed from his nasal chambers and sent to be analysed.  Some rotten teeth were also removed at the same time and the nostrils were cleaned out to make him as comfortable as possible.  Amos came home completely recovered at 4pm, ate some supper and had a good wander around the garden before settling into his cosy donut bed for a good night's sleep.  We hoped that our boy would have a good future and be able to look forward to spending happy hours running on the beach and watching the rabbits.

The biopsy results were a bit inconclusive but the lab thought that everything pointed to Amos having chondro sarcoma.  My vet told me that what she found when she examined his mouth and nasal passages could not possibly be due to teeth or gum decay.  The damage was too extensive.  The cancer had eaten away the bone in his nose so that there is nothing separating the two nostrils.  He must have been in terrible pain when he came as the roots of some of his teeth had grown into the nasal cavity and were totally exposed. These teeth were removed while he was under anaesthetic.   I am so devastated.  I love Amos very much and cannot bear the thought of losing him.  I did so want to get this op done to close the hole and make him more comfortable.  My vet was happy for him to carry on but if I felt he had had enough or he became distressed or if his nose began to bleed, then I would have to make that dreadful decision to let him go.  I would never let him suffer.  He remained on Antirobe antibiotics as the infection at the back of his nose was going to need to be kept under control if he was going to be comfortable.  He was also on Previcox in the morning and Tramodol, when necessary, at night.  I tried to keep his nostrils clear by bathing them gently with cotton wool.   It only mattered to give him the best quality of life for the time he had left.  He loved his walks, was eating well and he was much loved.  He slept well all night.  I thought that his time here will be very short and more heartbreak was coming.  I wanted so much to give this boy his life back and close the hole in his mouth.  We might then have had such fun.

Amos was the most amazing dog and I was not going to give up on him although we know the future may be bleak.  However he exceeded my expectations and was now going on the beach/dunes walk in the morning and thoroughly enjoying himself.  He was very intelligent and could open the front door as I found out when I was in the bathroom one evening when I had just let him and Judy out for their last wees of the night.  I was very startled to hear the front door open and movement in the hall.  It was quite scary!  I opened the bathroom door to find Judy going into the bedroom and Amos supervising, having opened the door with his foot.  I had shut the front door behind them as it was starting to rain and I wanted to dry them before they settled into their beds.  However Amos had different ideas.  We had by now taken him off the antibiotics and he was managing fine.  He would occasionally need to have a maintenance dose because of the very deep-seated infection at the end of his nasal passage.  I would not give up on this boy while he was happy and I hoped that we might get a miracle and he could have that operation after all to close the massive hole in the side of his mouth.  If he did not deteriorate during the following few months we would discuss the possibility of surgery with Simon, the chief small animal surgeon at the Charter group.  This dog had suffered so much and deserved the chance of happiness.  Occasionally we did have miracles - and we really wanted one very much for Amos.

Amos had surgery on Tuesday 16th October to close the hole in the side of his mouth leading into the nasal passages. He had waited six months to have this done until my vet felt he was fit enough for them to go ahead.  Amos made excellent progress after the operation which involved a flap of skin folded down to cover the hole and another was stitched over this with a mucosa surface on the outside. He seemed to be none the worse after the surgery and was back to normal the next day, going to the beach and eating as before. I was sure he felt more comfortable now that he had not got a large hole through to his nasal passages.

I finally decided to have Amos castrated after much thought and worry. This was done on Friday 29th February and he  made a complete and immediate recovery. He was given a pre-op blood test, which was clear, and he was also kept on a drip throughout the procedure. He was very disturbed by Emma coming into season before we had a chance to spay her. It will be much better for him now that he is castrated and will also prevent diseases such as testicular cancer. Amos was really quite fit now and so different to when he arrived last April. He did not seem to have any arthritis and went on three walks a day including one on the beach first thing in the morning. His teeth were given a clean while he was under the anaesthetic and his appetite was now much improved, although he did tend to be quite picky and would not eat anything unless it was on his “favourites” list! He always had his breakfast in a dish served to him on the sofa where he stretched out after his big walk. His nose remained nice and clear and we were hoping that either he did not have a chondro sarcoma or that it remained in remission. He was a very delicate lad and highly sensitive.  The one thing he did enjoy was a cuddle so I made sure he got plenty of these to let him know how much he was loved and treasured as a very special boy.

In mid April 2008, Amos was gradually showing signs of his age and I feared there was a chance that the possible chondro sarcoma in his nasal passages was progressing. His back legs were also becoming weaker so I did not take him for such long walks though he is always keen to go out and often accompanied other old and frail residents on their walks as he was totally trustworthy and did not need to be on a lead. I believed that he should do what he wanted - within reason. Amos was a sensible old chap and I just loved him to bits. He was such a loving boy who came to me for a cuddle when he was feeling a bit low. How I am going to face losing this very special old boy I did not know. However for the moment we would just live a day at a time and enjoy the spring sunshine.

My beloved Amos died very suddenly on Sunday May 4th.  I know everyone who met him or even followed his story was moved by the courage and determination of this very special boy.  I knew the cancer was back after a year in remission but I still hoped that he would have a little more time with me.  He was eating well and sleeping soundly in his favourite cosy bed at night.  He often spent the mornings with Poppy in the sun lounge stretched out one of the memory beds there.  He went for shorter walks during the last three weeks but only a few days before that day, he managed to walk down to the beach via the footpath across the field.  He paddled in the stream and looked at the sea - for the last time. 

He asked for his dinner a little earlier than usual and tucked into it demolishing every scrap of his favourite roast beef and nature diet.  Then, when I was putting a harness on Jack, he came to the door and wanted to come with us.  He went through the back gate onto the path and then started to behave strangely and froth was coming from his mouth.  I got him back into the garden where he collapsed under the pear tree.  I could not get him indoors so got a duvet and pillows and made him comfortable.  Gloria stayed close to him as we waited for the vet to arrive.  She put her foot gently onto his back as if asking him to get up.  The vet came within half an hour, during which time I had given Amos a sedative to ensure he was not distressed.  It was the most dreadful time of my life knowing that I was about to lose my best and closest friend, whose loyalty far exceeded anything I could ever know from another human.  Drops of rain started to fall as Amos took his last breath and as the car carrying him on his last journey drove away the rain fell in torrents for 15 minutes.  It seemed that the heavens were crying too for this terrible loss.  I will soon take another dog who needs my help but I will continue to grieve for my boy as long as I live.   Life without you is so very difficult.  Fly with the angels now dear Amos and take care of our sweet Charlie who went just three days before you.  You fought this disease so bravely but in the end it defeated you.  I will see you again my dear in a far better place where there will be no more tears.