My beloved GR was pts on Saturday aged 13 years and 2 weeks. It was a sudden deterioration and we found out at emergency vets he had extensive mass on his chest/lungs which had reached tipping point. He was clearly in distress with exaggerated breathing from his abdomen and very pale gums, and for first time in his life wouldn't eat the high value treats I offered him. Yet that morning he had been on his normal short, slow walk and had been pottering around the house folllwong me for treats and playing with my younger dog in the garden until he became unwell at 5pm and by 10pm was dead. Vet said absolutely nothing we could do for him and only real option was to PTS but I'm in shock, intense grief and guilt.
I keep thinking we should have brought him home and seen how he coped so we had more time to assess and decide what was best. I also keep looking at photos of him enjoying his walks last week and wondering how things suddenly got so bad.
more than anything I feel such guilt that over last few years since my children came along I've had less time for him. He was still walked daily and he went out with a walker for a bit of group fun once or twice a week. We will stroked and cuddled him but not as often and it was often my husband who did more walks than me as I would be busy with kids or trying to catch up on my sleep after a disturbed night.
we returned from holiday last Wednesday and he didn't seem right Thursday but after bit of pain relief he perked up and was normal again Friday and Saturday until the afternoon. I wonder if he held on for us coming back from holiday. I just have so many unanswered questions and so much guilt :(