Heart breaking decision

“Once you have a wonderful dog, a life without one is a life diminished" – Dean Koontz

As Snoopy’s health continued to decline, my brother and I revisited his oncologist again, whom informed us there was no cure for his cancer and no medication to improve his breathing. We were heart broken. It was because of this news that it became hard to accept reality. We knew his quality of life was not getting any better. Looking back, I remember my brother taking Snoopy to get his monthly injections to improve his walking, and it became clear that they were not as effective as they once were. My brother informed the vet of Snoopy’s current health and the vet decided not to give him the injection that month. I vividly remember eating during my workbreak, when my sister and I received the text from my brother stating his decision to “let Snoopy go peacefully.” I truly was deciding if I wanted to write about our experience and the decision that was made, not because of fear of judgement but because of the overwhelming feeling of sadness, anger, and guilt. These are true emotions even until this day, we continue to feel, and struggle to manage these emotions.