[DarinBongo]

Just reading this makes me cry, but I hope that my story might give you some insight that for sure this is the right thing to do.

I grew up with a Bichon Frise, her name was Digit, and just thinking about her still brings tears to my eyes. She was my heart that little thing, from the time I was 4 until I was 21. It was that last year after I turned 20 where my parents and I really started noticing she was getting older and moving slower. She was never in any pain and thank god never had any joint problems, however she was getting cataracts and just slowing down. When I graduated from college and turned 21, a few months later she began not eating and throwing up. This horrible disease progressed very quickly. We took her to the vet and they diagnosed her with cancer in her lymph nodes and that it had spread all over her body. It was definitely too late for treatment... and I have to be honest - I almost punched the vet, because I felt for some reason that it was his fault that he didn't find it early enough. I think my parents got pain medication from the vet and never told me, because in her last days, she never even cried once. She went downhill so fast and was vomiting and defecating pure bile. She would not eat and lost so much weight that week. It killed me and my parents just watching her like that. Problem was that my sister was away at medical school and my parents were torn to keep her around for two more days so she could say goodbye. My little baby held on until my sister made it home. That night they took her and it was like she knew and was so relieved. We wrapped her up in a little towel and I just couldn't go - my parents took her. My mom said she was calm all the way to the vet's and did not squirm at all once she knew where she was. It was over quickly and peacefully.

Now it is over 3 years later - and it KILLS me to this day that my little Digit had to suffer even those few extra days. I know it eats away at my sister too. However, it taught me that when I have my own little one like I do now, that when it is time - it is time. Do not make your little guy suffer for any reason. I wish I could turn back time but it is too late now. Don't do the same thing my family did, because you will be filled with regret later on. If you know it in your heart, give your baby the relief he deserves for all those loyal years. It will not be easy, but it will be easier than doing it and having regret like we did.

I wish you the best of luck in this time. I will say a prayer for your little guy and hope that he finds the happy doggy heaven that Digit is in.