I don't know if my poor puppy is going to make it to Christmas
 

Max the Wonder Corgi has lymphoma and is pretty-much at end-stage. He's happy and still running and playing prickleball, but he's getting lumpier and is starting to eat less and less... this morning I could tell he was in pain, so he got some Tramadol. The poor little guy didn't deserve this, he's pretty much a furry, noisy Buddhist with no legs.

He would stay up to the wee hours of the night studying A&P with me, then pharmacology...he's my best friend and now he's gotta move on.

I know I'll do what's right for him, without being selfish, because I want him to go out knowing how much I love him. It's really breaking me up.

http://i46.tinypic.com/2s18z28.jpg
http://i50.tinypic.com/6izn28.jpg
http://i50.tinypic.com/2uz7c5j.jpg

Before anyone asks, he's had chemo. Now he's on a palliative dose of prednisone and Lasix. I just went up to 20mg BID on the prednisone. He was showing lots of edema yesterday and complicating his breathing, so I gave him a handful of my Indapamide (Lozol) until I could get a 'script from the vet for the Lasix.

:(

Sorry to hear that. My family dog growing up as a kid died of cancer. I held him as the vet administered the lethal injection. It was tough.

sorry sir, Max looks like he is a great one...

The wife and I are so sorry. As you may or may not know, we lost the Sam Man this past Feb. and are still trying to get over it. I've always wanted a Corgi and will someday have one. Dogs are truly the best gift God gave to Man. God Bless and I'll notify the Sam Man to welcome him when he crosses the Rainbow Bridge.

Been there and done that 5 times now. It does not get easier but I have come to the point where I know what to expect and it is easier to deal with.

You have my heart felt condolences. It is never easy to loose a friend. Whether they have 4 legs or 2 make little difference.

Love. Nothing else matters. Strength to you during this time.

Awww ... he's such a cutie. So sorry to hear of his illness. It's never easy to let go of a friend, especially when you have to make a choice.:( My thoughts are with you.

Sorry for your loss. I'd plan for a cremation. I kept my old ones on my desk shelf at home. Not the same but they keep me company with good memories.

I lost my number one, Tuvok, about 6 or 8 weeks ago, tore my heart out.

http://www.knudsons.com/images/tuvokandfrizzee.jpg

He was 11, pretty old for a big pure breed.

He had been going downhill rather quickly this last year.
Getting around was getting more and more difficult, but he still tried to play right to the end.

We think he had a major stroke on Tuesday and pretty much stopped eating, very very unusual for him.

We stayed home on that Friday night and watched movies, had a fire (he always loved fires) and I stayed with him on the floor for the most part.

I put him to bed late that night, he had an old loveseat that was his bed, I had to help him up into it. He probably could have made it on his own but I helped him.

I gave him a big hug and kiss and told him if it was time to go, go.

When the other guy, Winston, woke us about 5:00 am Tuvie was gone, he hadn't really moved.
He went peacefully in his sleep.
May we all have such a peacefull end.

Sorry for the tear jerker.

The thing to remember is he had a wonderful life, the love he gave was enormous.
He lived hard and played hard.
He was treated with love and given everything anyone could want. OK he would have loved more food, but we had to keep him on something of a diet.

Remember the good times, the love, the fun and that you gave them a comfortable life. More comfortable than most children get, much less other dogs.
And the LOVE they return.

I've held two that we had to have put down. Those were two of the saddest days of my life.

We have a great, warm, compassionate vet that came to the house for the final goodbye. We were able to avoid carrying them to her office when they were so sick and the bright cold sterile environment of the clinic.

There's never a good time, but there's a right time. You will know it when it comes.

My thoughts are with you and Max.

I had a great dog Honey that died while I was on vacation. I'd go with putting him/her down before I allowed another dog to die while I was away.

"Gentlemen of the jury: The best friend a man has in this world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son or daughter that he has reared with loving care may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, those whom we trust with our happiness and our good name, may become traitors to their faith. The money that a man has, he may lose. It flies away from him, perhaps when he needs it the most. A man’s reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees to do us honor when success is with us may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure settles its cloud upon our heads. The one absolutely unselfish friend that a man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him and the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous is his dog.
Gentleman of the jury: A man’s dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his master’s side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer, he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounters with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wings and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens.
If fortune drives the master forth an outcast in the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him to guard against danger, to fight against his enemies, and when the last scene of all comes, and death takes the master in its embrace and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by his graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws, his eyes sad but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even to death."

Very touching - I had to look it up: it's from the famous speech by George Graham Vest;

... Stimpy - I'm sorry for the situation you're in... my thoughts and prayers are with you.

I look at it this way. It is the price we pay for the love of the dog. Cheap price, if you ask me. We get way more good times.