XPost: free.uk.pets.dogs, uk.rec.pets.misc   
   From: paul@nospam.home.com   
      
   Hi all,   
      
   I have a 15 and half year old English Cocker Spaniel who is now getting old   
   and tired. During her life she has had little in the way of health problems   
   but over the last two years in particular has slowed down to a point where   
   she spends the majority of her time sleeping and only wanders as far as the   
   back garden. She now poo's and wee's in the house which we have learned to   
   cope with (Vax is very useful!) and will walk around in circles and not be   
   so interested in contact and been with us. Due to the leaking if is often   
   necessary to bath her once a day to avoid her smelling too much, we intend   
   to replace all the carpet once she is no longer with us.   
      
   We can no longer leave her with friends/neighbors for the day and it would   
   now be difficult for us to take her away in the caravan so this year we have   
   made no plans to go anywhere as we need to stay with her.   
      
   I will be devastated when she finally goes, she is my first and only dog and   
   has been a real friend to me and I will find it so difficult if I have to   
   make a decision at some point to have her put down.   
      
   I guess what I am asking here is am I doing the right thing at the moment, I   
   do not know what her quality of life is and I suppose I just want to think   
   its ok and let things carry on for now. It's easy for me to get emotional   
   over this and a number of years ago I found this poem which I have kept the   
   link to that brings tears to my eyes every time I look at it   
   http://www.la-spca.org/pet_loss/comfort/last_battle.htm   
      
   I happen to be a 43 year old bloke with a wife and two young children but   
   when my dog is finally put to rest it is going to be very difficult.   
      
   Any advice would be greatly appreciated.   
      
   Paul   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)