Bye, Bye, Baby

Last Wednesday night, October 21, my husband and father noticed the family dog, Baby (a black, mostly pomeranian), hobbling and looking very frail. She could hardly walk. My dad noticed she had hardly eaten or drank any water for a few days. she looked depressed. It was very disconcerting.
Thursday morning, after I returned home from taking Bubby to school, I found my dad cleaning up a little pile of bile vomit Baby had left on the floor just outside our bathroom. He said he was up most of the night with her vomiting. And this was about the 4th pile in a half hour. While he was cleaning, Baby went into Bubby's room to hide between his dresser and nightstand (in a corner, as if she were putting herself in time out for leaving a "mess" on the floor). It was disheartening. She is an old pup - 14 years and 7 months. She started this life in ill health, as a puppy unable to eat or drink much and dying from starvation and dehydration. In those days, I kept her alive by taking her to the vet every other day for a week for hydration IV fluids, and giving her a pill (she had Parvo). She was depressed then. And on Thursday, when my mom picked her up from her hiding spot in Bubby's room, she looked depressed. Her face looked sad. She was a very sick puppy.
Dad took her to the vet. After being convinced, my mom went with him. There was a very real possiblity that old age had taken it's toll, and the humane thing to do would be to put her down, gently, with what remained of of her dignity. I asked them to call if they decided to put Baby out of her misery.
I got that call within a half hour. She was old. The vet said from the odor from her breath, her kidneys were shutting down. Hundreds of dollars could be spent doing multiple tests in order to find out if her condition was "treatable", which treatments may extend her life anywhere from one week to a few months. My parents decided the kind thing to do for their beloved canine companion would be to put her to sleep. They called to let me know this was their decision.
My mom said it was very gentle and humane. The vet put a catheter/IV in Baby's leg. She first gave her a "drowsy maker". She lay on her little bed my parents had taken with them, between my parents. They pet her and she was very calm. Then, the vet put the heartstopper drug into the IV, said, "Let me just help her to close her eyes" as she put her hand over Baby's little face and closed her eyes, and then put her stethoscope on Baby's chest and said,"She's gone". My mom said it was very peaceful, and the vet was very kind and gentle. And it was very quick - maybe 10 seconds after the drug was administered. Such a humane way to end misery.
So, I bid you farewell, Baby. You were a good dog. You were a sweet, gentle pet. We all loved you. Have fun in dog heaven, where you can run around without pain and be with your brothers and sisters who went there before you.