Daylesford Summer Dispatch - Monday, 20th January 2014

Dear Friends, this is another sad Dispatch as we have had to put our dear Frodo to sleep. His heart had been affected by the latest Great Escape and he deteriorated over Friday and Saturday. We suspect he had a small stroke on Saturday afternoon, and then another big one late that night that left him unable to see. Wes sat up with him all night until he could speak to the emergency vet in Ballarat at 9am. Our own vet was unable to be contacted on his mobile, so this was the kindest solution. Bilbo stayed with me all night, and in the morning, before Wes left with Frodo, we let them say goodbye to each other.

I took Bilbo to the Sunday Market as usual and then we walked up to breakfast, where everyone made a fuss of him. Wes let me know when Frodo was at peace, and brought him home to bury him in the backyard next to Casper. We spent a very sad day yesterday, crying and reflecting on all the Frodo stories. He loved Wes’s scarves and we came home one day to find them draped all down a staircase. He also loved body lotion and licked bare legs and feet clean whenever he could. He was a very beautiful, soft, good-natured dog and we are missing him. However, it is made much easier than before when we have lost our pet, because we still have Bilbo to love.

This is my last photo of Frodo, taken on Saturday when he was restless and looking for somewhere comfy to lie – why not on our bed?

This morning we walked Bilbo on his own for a slightly longer walk around the Lake and down by Sutton Springs. He is catching up on sleep, as we all did last night, and trying to get used to being able to enjoy his food instead of bolting it down in case his brother came and ate it (which he often did). He is also taking full advantage of being able to stretch out on the various dog beds, but he is missing his mate in spite of all this.