[Kistle]

I feel your pain deanp. I recently put down my Rhodesian Ridgeback, Mason, who was very suddenly diagnosed with cancer. I noticed him one day while I was cutting the grass...he looked a little (or a lot) bloated. I knew bloat was dangerous for dogs, but I had seen him eating some grass and thought he was just gassy or having a gastro issue. Emergency vet said he had a tumor on his spleen the size of a grapefruit, and at least 15 tumors on his lungs. The bloat was actually the result of his abdomen filling up with sirus (sp?) fluid trying to combat the foreign cancer cells. The vet said, "try to make him comfortable". In the ensuing three weeks, I took him in three different times to get his abdomen drained. Each time, they drained over 7 liters of fluid off of him. He would seem to be a little more comfortable after each draining, but eventually he stopped eating. I knew that was the end, and I didn't want him to go two days in a row without eating. I intervened, brought his wonderful vet to our house, and had him put down while I held him in my arms. I cried like a baby. Then, as a final symbol, I told the vet I did not want him transported in a trash bag. I had the local shelter come to my house, carry him away on a stretcher covered with blankets. They then cremated his remains and actually bury his ashes in the cemetary operated by the shelter. That was the most dignfied way I could think of as a final send-off for a true friend. As you can tell, I did what was right for Mason. It killed me, but I now know that I did everything I could and thought of him first.

I hope this doesn't sound too gloom and doom, but I wanted to share with you a similar recent situation that I had and how I dealt with it. I have no regrets, and I have the fantastic 10 years of memories that Mason gave to me.

Best wishes for the best possible outcome for Chloe and your family.

JA