Martee
Thanks, Martee.
Took Bandit to the vet about 6 weeks ago. Demanded that my wife and son came along with me, so we were all on the same sheet of music.
We (or better yet I) knew he was nearing end-stage, but not exactly sure of where he was time wise. She told us that in most cases - he would have weeks, maybe a couple of months at best. He was fine at the time, no pain. But we knew we were living on borrowed time. That was back about a month prior to Thanksgiving.
The last few nights he started experiencing pain. My son, who loves this dog more than any creature alive human or animal, told me last night with tears in his eyes that we needed to make the appointment tomorrow (today).
The wife left work early... son took the day off from work to spend several hours with his buddy. I fed him gobs of cooked chicken and rice this morning, and gave him 10 bacon-wrapped hotdogs for dinner before we took him in to the vet to be put down.
He didn't go out on an empty stomach, and I swear - that dog enjoyed every last morsel of those bacon-wrapped hotdogs....
It was time. Probably the perfect time. I was there with him the entire time.... my son, who he loved most of all, was the last person he saw when he passed. The way it should've been.
Peaceful... no pain.
But I'm dealing with the pain this evening. I felt it as soon as we came home, knowing that he would never be there anymore... an empty bed in the family room, an empty bowl sitting by his water bowl.
This sucks.
Thanks again for all the thoughts.