| Saying good-bye to a beloved pet can be a | | | | from on their own. It was discovered that he had |
| hurtful and emotionally draining experience, | | | | no platelets which means his blood would not clot. |
| especially if the pet has been a member of the | | | | He eventually started bleeding internally, growing |
| family for a number of years. In our family we | | | | weaker and weaker. The veterinarians tried their |
| had four dogs over the course of forty years. | | | | best to save him, but in the end all they could do |
| They were all quite different but all of them | | | | was recommend he be put to sleep. It all |
| brought joy and laughter into our crazy, hectic | | | | happened in a matter of days and our pet was |
| lives. Unfortunately pets do not live forever no | | | | gone. |
| matter how much we may want them to. | | | | We all do our best to make sure our pets have |
| Our first dog left us when he was 18 years old. | | | | proper healthcare, but sometimes even our best |
| He had not been sick since recovering from a | | | | efforts can not save them. I guess the point I |
| heart attack and stroke five years earlier. One | | | | am trying to make is that no matter how much |
| night he came in from outside, laid down in his | | | | we love and take care of our pets there will |
| favorite spot, and closed his eyes forever. I do | | | | sometimes be circumstances beyond our control |
| not need to tell you how my heart was broken. I | | | | that take them away from us. |
| still miss him to this day. | | | | I remember when our first pet died how |
| Two of our other dogs also lived long lives but in | | | | inconsolable I became, I could not imagine another |
| later years they spent their days fighting one | | | | pet in my life. But I soon realized that there are |
| health problem after another and eventually living | | | | many abandon and homeless animals in shelters |
| their final days in pain. Regardless of how much it | | | | that need love and care just like my pet did. I |
| hurt us, we could not bear to see them suffer | | | | now know saying hello to a new family member |
| that way. We finally had to make the | | | | is much better than having to say good-bye to |
| heartbreaking decision to let them go. | | | | my "friend". Our departed pets will always live in |
| Our last dog unexpectedly developed a condition | | | | our memories; a place where they can never be |
| supposedly common in dogs which most recover | | | | replaced. |