Saying goodbye to an old friend

Just about two weeks ago we had to say goodbye to a dear four legged friend. His number was up apparently, but there had been little warning. All of a sudden one day be stopped eating. The dog who so loved to chow down refused to eat anything we had offered. He was lethargic and depressed looking. I took him to the vet and we discovered a bacterial infection. Antibiotics were prescribed. Nothing changed. Less than 5 days later I was forced to make the decision pet owners dread. We had an appointment at 11:30. He was too weak to walk on his own so I had to carry him into the vets office. In one of the rooms a soft blue blanket had been laid down for him. I gently laid his body down and as I did so he picked up his head and looked around. I quickly snapped a few pictures of him peering around the room. His body may have thinned out, but he suddenly had a certain perk about him. I started to second guess the decision I had already made, but as quickly as the moment had come Moose laid his head down and closed his eyes as if in pain. The breaths were shallow and I was reminded about why we had come to this place now. I knew that if we had kept him at home one day longer, he would more than likely have taken his last breath before the next sun rise. I kissed his nose, his ears and his paws. I told him I loved him because he was my "puppy head" . I put his tennis ball between his front paws and stroked his nose as the good vet did his job. Tears filled my eyes as his heart slowly stopped. It was done. My Moosie man was no longer walking this earth. Instead he was running through heaven chasing a frisbee happy and carefree. I hope that in his last moments he knew how much he was loved. I will forever remember that sweet puppy with the big black floppy ears. Big floppy ears that seemed to promise that he would grow to be a moose. In size he may not have grown into that name, but with his very personality and love of life he certainly was a Moose.