CuCullain (aka Sinatra) Went To The Bridge October 10, 2003

We adopted CC from BREW on May 25th, 2002, and loved him for every minute that we had the pleasure of his company. Everywhere we went, people commented on his striking blue eyes and sweet disposition. He really was a very special dog. Unfortunately, he picked up a strain of mycobacteria, which at this point remains unidentified. He started showing symptoms of the infection in July and we started treatment then, but at that point it looked like he had a simple skin infection. It wasn’t until September that we found out through a biopsy that CC had a mycobacterial infection. Since some strains of mycobacteria can cause tuberculosis, it is considered a health risk for humans; however, the biopsy was inconclusive as to which type of mycobacteria CC had. He had been on antibiotics for some time at that point and many types of mycobacteria take a very long time to culture. This past week, CC started to exhibit signs of being in extreme pain and it was clear to us that he wasn’t going to get well. We consulted the Springfield Emergency Veterinary Hospital’s Internal Medicine department and were told that even if CC did not have the strain of mycobacteria that causes TB, he would never be the dog he once was. We would always be scoring little victories only to have him always relapse when the bacteria became resistant to each antibiotic we tried until we eventually ran out of choices. My husband and I didn’t think that was the kindest way to help CC deal with his illness, so we decided to have him put to sleep. His passing was very peaceful for him, at least. For us, it was a bit harder. We both shed many tears as we said goodbye to him. We already miss him terribly and we’ll never forget the love and warmth that dog brought into our lives. I know I speak for my husband when I say that I hope that he’s up in heaven right now chasing squirrels and chipmunks and eating table scraps to his heart’s content. He was a wonderful dog and we thank BREW for bringing him into our lives.

- Jenny and Bill