Monday, February 25, 2008

Nearing the End?


Everyone is advising me to have our beloved dog put down. They feel it would be best for her. I think she is still enjoying life and don't want to let her go prematurely. She is 12 years old. She has a noticeable limp due to arthritis in her hip and a front foot that is slightly deformed due to a birth defect. She is on pain medication and never whimpers or anything and the vet said he had seen much worse. Her vision is fading and she is quite lumpy though the vet assured us that old dogs just get lumpy. She has recently lost weight though and sometimes you can hear her breathing loudly. But to spite all that she is happy and still romps in the backyard and mooches for food. She is still very loving and affectionate and seems very content. ~sigh~ I don't want to cause her suffering for my own selfishness, but I don't want to jump the gun either. I am just praying that God won't allow her to suffer and it is my hope that she will go peacefully in her sleep when the time is right and we won't have to make that decision. I know many of you are likely thinking that she is just a dog, that there are much bigger issues in life and I should just get over it but she has been my baby, my friend and my companion for 12 years and I love her very much.

Sorry for the bleak post...I do know God is good and cares even about the little things in our lives and that it will all work out.

Blessings,
Liisa

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Liisa, your dog sounds a bit like me! LOL I wouldn't put her down if she is still eating and affectionate: now if she was getting snappy instead of lumpy that would be different. Pain could make her snap but as she isn't doing that, I would just let nature take its course. My aunt used to give her old dog Bluey a soluble aspirin in his drinking water for his arthritis. He lived for ages in spite of everyone saying aspirin wasn't any good for him. I don't think the end is too near- just keep an eye on her as you are doing, my friend.

Love,
Glenys

Liisa said...

Thank you Glenys! I so needed reassurance. I think I will just wait and see what the future holds.

With love,
Liisa