Oh esseff44, I am so sorry for your loss.

OMG. We have spent a minor fortune so far for cancer treatments for our beloved labby - shepard Bailey who will be 14 next month. It was a tough decision to spend the money -- I never thought I would do such a thing -- but we had such an early diagnosis serendipitously and she was totally herself still, we could hardly believe it. So after lots of consultations with friends -- and budget reviews -- we decided to go ahead. She has outlived all expectations -- they said 12-15 months and it has been 19 -- and she seems totally healthy. The chemo/radiation gave her little trouble, so we think we made the right decision. Had we not found it as we had, so early, we would have learned the way you did ...

I know that what is going to happen is what you are describing. We love her so much! She "works" four days a week as the greeter in my ex-boyfriend's dental office, so she's had a large cheering section that has spurred her on during treatment. One day she will be not-okay and we will take the road you have taken. It will be hard but it is what will be best. My condolences.

I'm sorry, essef.

As you may know, I recently went through something similar, and the pain is still very real.

But it does subside. I'm terribly sorry, and I hope you find peace with your loss.

I feel for you too, Esse. My dearest pet died a few years ago and I really grieved. Having been brought up on a farm, I thought it wouldn't matter so much in the scheme of things. But it did. I still miss her.

Losing family is always so hard. It takes courage and great love to make the decision you did. I'm proud of you and my heart is with you, Esse.

I am sorry to hear about your rottie . We lost our kitteh earlier this year . We went about 3 weeks before we got 2 kittens. It is not the same, however it is new, different and a challenge.

Oh, I am so sorry essef. I know how much it hurts, but remember how much love you gave your critter and how you did your very best, till the very end.

I still miss my first cat. He made it to almost 20, was by most opinions criminally insane, and I adored him.

Oh essef. I am so sorry.

For y'all who might not be Kevin Drum readers (Political Animal, then Washington Monthly, now Mother Jones), he is the originator of the Friday Cat Blogging that is now done by a number of sites.

Tragically, his cat Inkblot, one of the original catblog cats, met his end last week via a coyote. It is a sad thing, and the blogosphere is mourning his passing.
http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2 ... ip-inkblot

This is a wonderful piece about our pets, and how we lose them. From 1999, Cokie and Steve Roberts, about their dog, Abner. For some reason, it gave me great comfort when we lost our old cat, Midnight, some years ago although I am not entirely sure why. Maybe because I like Cokie Roberts, knew about Abner, and felt a kinship in our mutual loses. But it helped.

http://159.54.226.237/99_issues/990411/990411cokie.html

I'm sorry for the loss of your dear guard girl, esseff; it always hurts to lose a loved one. Fuzzy or otherwise they're family.

So sorry to hear of your loss, esseff. Sending my hopes for a healing heart.

So sorry about your dear one, esseff.

I just don't know what I'll do when my own best friend - who found me in the desert a couple of years ago after apparent abandonment (hers, not mine) - passes on.

She became my first pet; after 47 years of watching & not understanding the relationships between humans & their owners. Now I fully understand.

Good luck essef. Sorry to hear about your tragic loss.

My condolences as well.

Ditto.

*hugs*