Zubrin was administered, without any period between this and the Rimadyl he'd been given, that was with hindsight over and above the trial requirements, and for longer than the drug company’s own warning leaflet allowed, and though I had reported what I saw as an adverse reaction, this was dismissed out of hand by the specialist vet, who insisted Max continue the treatment. Unfortunately for Max I was away for two weeks, and though he was left in the capable, and loving hands of my daughters, who had some concerns and called my GP vet, my GP vet, totally unaware of the possible adverse effect of the drug trial, thought him to be okay.

  On my return Max leaned against me and his entire shoulder blade slipped into my hand! He was skeletal, and so weak that he couldn’t walk even to my gate without falling. Again with hindsight it was realised the drug was killing him and its use was immediately discontinued. That it was a public holiday, the specialist vet was unavailable, and no-one else was allowed to treat Max is a matter of record, as is my having taken Max to the surgery, where he was to have a hip replacement, but where he was instead left with instructions to the veterinary nurse for the specialist vet to see for himself how ill Max was, certainly unfit for surgery.

It’s a further matter of record that the next I knew Max was on the table, prepped ready for the hip replacement, and his condition had only now been noted. To this day, horror of horrors, I remember the shock I felt, and my fear for Max. By some miracle, and to this day it is my belief it is because Max knew how much I needed him, he pulled through both the operation, and the effects of the drug trial, though at the time of his death four years later, his bloods had still not returned to normal.

  The picture of Max was taken on his last New Year with us, in 2005. If he looks sad it isn’t because he’s in pain, it’s because he’s a bit ‘put-out’ by being asked to wear the ‘Happy New Year’ crown and pose for photos, when all he wants to do is to resume his duty as the self-appointed cracker puller for everyone, and I mean everyone! None who came to my house was allowed by Max to pull a cracker, at Christmas or the New Year, other than with Max. If the ‘snap’ in the cracker didn’t crack, Max would insist on pulling this too, having no fear of his nose perhaps being caught, though some who were ‘coerced’ into pulling the ‘snap’ with him certainly had concerns as to whether their fingers might be!