Originally Posted by Doug

Thank you for asking and for thinking about us
Lyn I hope that you got my message.

Fortunately the fires are a long long way away from us in other states. Our city has not seen a fire like that in 28 years and that was 50 mins away. We do live near bush land so it could happen at any time though. However we live in a populated area so there are lots of people around to keep an eye on things before things can get out of control. Touch wood!!!

We have not been spared of the heatwave though My stress level is sky high. Tia declined to a point where she found it very difficult to walk. We were dangerously close to letting her go as we thought that that it was permanent. Since it has cooled down a little and she has improved. I feel sick at the thought of the fact that we nearly made the wrong decision. It is only now that I remembered that Tia's slipping issues began at the beginning of the 2011 summer. No vets that we have seen have ever heard of heat being related to slipping or seizure activity but it is now obvious is in Tia's case.

We are also still battling tummy issues. She is on antibiotics and she is eating but we are doing back flips and cooking up a storm and hand feeding to ensure that she still eats. Our shopping list are long with the smelliest foods we can find. I'm sure that roasts or schmackos are not good for her tummy right now but that is the only thing that will get her to start eating wet food.

Tia is very pale indicating internal bleeding, the vets agree that there is not much that we can do. Of course we have the option to end it all now and push the panic button but this is so much easier said than done when she still smiles, woofs and wags her tail and continues to be the interactive diva that she always has been.

They say that I'll know when the time is right. It was crystal clear when it came to my boy but this time is completely different. I look at her now and she seems peaceful, relaxed and content. I saw a poster the other day that said "If I had a penny for every time my dog made me smile I'd be a millionaire." Tia has already made me smile several times today and the day is far from over.

However I 'sleep' on the couch often waking up several times a night to see if she needs any assistance as well as assessing her every move throughout the day is making my head spin and I feel like rubbish. Thank goodness I am still on holidays. It is an incredibly painful decision to weigh up when the time is right to pull the trigger but we are reviewing the situation minute by minute, one step at a time.

Thanks again for your thoughtful support.

Originally Posted by Doug

...They say that I'll know when the time is right. It was crystal clear when it came to my boy but this time is completely different...It is an incredibly painful decision to weigh up when the time is right to pull the trigger but we are reviewing the situation minute by minute, one step at a time...