I'm sorry to hear that about your dog. That's such a hard thing to have to do, but it's good for both of you that you didn't let it drag on. I was guilty of that with my cat. He got cancer behind his left eye and we tried everything to save him, even removing the eye and having chemo, but he was so pitiful after a week or so of chemo that I just couldn't do it to him anymore and had him put down. If I had known it was going to turn out that way, I would've never put him through all that. I don't know if it was the chemo or just a natural progression of the cancer, but he went blind in the eye he had left. He would just wander around the house, bumping into things and crying. The only time he was quite was when my husband held him. It was so sad, but it made having him put down an easier decision to make.
Logan was completely paralyzed. He apparently had a weakness in his back, due to old age, that only took a misstep to snap. It might have snapped because he was hopping on his bandage in the back, but it might have snapped anyway any time getting up on the couch. He wasn't in any pain at all after it happened and that was a blessing. He perfectly content, he just couldn't get up. The decision with him was actually very easy, there were no choices.
Zulu, my little dog, was harder. She was failing in her mind more than her body, or maybe it was both. She'd pace like she was lost and uncomfortable, and really became very confused and difficult. It was really frustrating, and painful when she didn't want to sit with me anymore and would just pace. It was hard to know exactly what day was the right day to take her in. She failed rapidly after Logan was gone, they were inseparable and he was the only thing she still seemed familiar with. When I picked a day finally, only a month after putting Logan down, putting her down did not go easily and her confusion ripped me up. I wish I could take that day back. It still haunts me. I don't like to think about it. She was my dog in college... and we were together nearly 17 years. I fight hard to remember her as a young dog so full of vigor, and smart as a whip.
I always thought she looked like a mountain goat in this picture.
Here they are together... two days before Logan's back went out, about a month before I had her put down.
