A Well-loved Little Dog

We’ve had terriers in our family for 80 years.

This is Scottie, my brothers’s well-loved dog, who, at age 16, made his last visit to the vet this afternoon. Deaf, nearly blind, with rotten teeth and arthritis, he could no longer climb the stairs or go down them, and viciously bit anyone who tried to pick him up. Dementia was very clearly in play. It was past time.

Scottie was a grand little dog who did well for his first 14 years, but had been struggling for some time. He loved his ball and his less furry brothers and sisters. He was always a happy camper.

The end is never an easy decision to make, but it should never be about you. A little more about that here, which might be worth forwarding to anyone you know with a very old dog nearing a logical and compassionate end.