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Springer Spaniel
Chief was the "first child" in our family some 14+ years ago.
My wife had gone through two miscarriages when we decided to get
a dog to cheer both of us up. From the moment we brought him home
we knew he would do just that. He was always so full of energy
always so happy to see you come home or get up in the morning.
We were concerned when we finally did have a baby girl 13 years ago that
he may become a problem since we would be paying so much attention
to the baby. Not so. He was always great with her and our son who
came several years later. Always looking out for them... In short he was
all you could ask for in a dog.
It became so difficult in recent months for both Chief and our family.
His hind legs started to really give him trouble to the point he had
difficulty standing up for any period of time. He couldn't negotiate as
few as 3 stairs without help.He no longer heard us get up in the
morning or return home. You would call for him and he would
look all around to find out where you where even though you
were in the same room with him. It got to the point that he no longer
let us know when he had to go out to relieve himself.
While this became a problem we dealt with it the best we could.
After all it wasn't his fault. I guess we would have done something
with him earlier but throughout all of this he continued to eat like a horse.
After a visit to the vets office a couple of weeks ago it was clear that
he wasn't going to get any better. We discussed all of the options we
had but it kept coming back to the quality of his life and how it would
never improve. I left the office a wreck. As the days passed I thought I
saw him improving. I know now that it was simply wishful thinking.
On Thursday April 2 my family & I decided it was time to put Chief
out of his misery and put him to sleep. It was decided that I would take him
to the vets and stay with him until he passed on.
I must say this was the most difficult thing I have had to do in my life.
While he probably had no idea of what was going on I knew.
I knew he was alive and eating a treat I brought for him one minute and
he was no longer with us the next. Devastating. That is the only way I
can describe it.
I am now left with the terrible thought that maybe this was not the thing to
do and that maybe we should have waited for nature to take its course.
The vet assures me this isn't the case but I continue to wonder.
I only hope Chief understands we wanted to end his suffering and that
we had only his best interests in mind when we decided to end his life.
Please forgive me my friend please forgive me.
| Chief |