In Memoriam: Bruno

I first met Bruno in December of 2014 when he was just 9 months old. He needed to be re-homed where someone could give him more attention and handle his young energy. Thinking back to that day, we had a connection at first sight. I knelt down and he immediately ran up to me and began smothering me with kisses. At first he was very sad leaving his family. He cried in the backseat of my car causing both my mom and I to cry too, feeling bad about taking him. But it wasn’t long after that he grew to love his new life. We went everywhere together. He made a best friend with my husband’s dog, Maci. They spent many summers playing chase, fetch, and swimming at my grandma’s house on Green lake. We even would take them kayaking down the Flat River. Over the years Bruno and I developed a special bond. He would look at me with so much love and adoration. Sleeping in our bed every night and walking me to the door every morning when I left for work. He was my shadow. Going everywhere I went and watching everything I did. He brought an energy to our home and his housemates. Something that I didn’t realize until he was gone. He fought a hard battle back in November of 2020 when he was diagnosed with immune mediated hemolytic anemia. He spent 3 days at AEH in the ICU and received 3 double unit blood transfusions. Being as strong as he is, he was able to pull through and went into remission. We were so happy to get 4.5 more years with him. This past fall, I noticed he had a cough. I took him to the vet and after an X-ray they found a large mass in his chest near his heart and right lung. I was able to get him to MSU to see a surgical oncologist who presented us our options. With Bruno being 10yrs old at the time, we didn’t feel it was right to put him through surgery and chemo/radiation so we opted for a palliative/hospice approach. That same day as I was driving home from MSU, I contacted Heaven at Home. After meeting with Dr. Laurie, HAH was willing to assist with Bruno’s care. Dr. Kim assisted us in managing his symptoms and developing a plan of how we wanted things to go. Being the fighter that Bruno was, we got 6 more wonderful months with our boy. We were so grateful to get to love and cherish every moment with him while making sure he remained comfortable. He even celebrated his 11th birthday with us last month! But after his birthday, his illness progressed and we could tell he was getting more tired. We didn’t want him to suffer and wanted his last moments and days to be peaceful and happy. We went for car rides, ate ice cream, and even explored and played at the dog park. Bruno was surround by his loved ones and crossed the rainbow bridge in the comfort of our home. Our lives won’t ever be the same without him. He was one of a kind and my soul dog. I love him dearly and wish he could have lived forever. I can’t wait for the day I get to see him again. It will be one of the greatest moments of my life. I love you Bruno ❤️