As a kid I was the proud owner of Shortie, a great beagle mix that I loved to death. I got her when I was only 4, and we grew up together. By the time she was 12, she'd developed cancer. I kept her going as long as I could, feeding her canned food, then pureed food by hand for weeks. It got to the point where she couldn't walk well, and I'd just sit with her after school for hours. One day at school I was thinking about how bad she was getting and had decided that the next day I'd take her to the vet. She was suffering, and I was putting her through it. I didn't get the chance to take her though. She passed alone, in her kennel, while I was at school. I felt, and still feel, awful for it. I feel as if I let her down. This was 6 years ago. Only you know what's best for your buddy, so the decision is yours. Just know that other people have been through it and are here to console you and offer kind words. And always remember the good times; I'm smiling thinking about Shortie right now. My heart goes out to you.
-- B