Sleep Well, Old Friend.

(He won for being the oldest and performing an invisible biscuit trick against a dancing dog)

So, after 15 long years, I had to say goodbye to my oldest friend Merlin.

He was doing well, a little slow due to age, a little bit blind and selectively deaf but all was good. Until the other day.

Merlin was prone to tumours, he'd fought and won against some minor cancer a few times but this is one we didn't see coming.

From what the vet said, he had a tumour in his abdomen and the other night it ruptured, filling his body with fluid. Not a good fluid that could be drained, but a load of blood. Due to age it would have been cruel to operate and he would have been un-likely to survive any invasive procedure. So the best thing for him was to allow him to sleep. He couldn't walk, sitting and being prone was uncomfortable for him. He went down hill so fast, I'm just glad to have been with him in his last moment.

Never leave your pets alone if they're going to sleep. Be with them. Remind them how much they mean, even in their last moments.

I love you Merlin. And I'll miss you.
Sleep well.

TLDR: Said goodbye to my best friend. It was the right thing to do and the right time to do it.