Prayers For My Dog

[OnlySunshine]

Today has been a terrible trial. No one here has been able to rest easy because our beloved dog of 13 years declined today. We've been having issues with her arthritis flaring up to the point where we think that one of the pointy hooks on her spine broke off and is pinching nerves, causing her neurological trouble. The vet told us to give her different food and up her pain management meds to a whole pill twice a day instead of a half twice a day. She had been doing better -- getting up more easily and eating OK. Then today, she simply would not get up. Every time we tried to help her, she would press all her weigh down to resist us, or snap at us (which is totally out of her normal character). She took forever to go to the bathroom when we finally did get her outside and she is dragging her back right paw. We called the vet twice today and all they said to do was get her up as much as possible and to come get more pain meds. I feel like we are fighting a vicious circle here. She hasn't eaten all day except for a tiny little bowl of wet food with her pill in it. She drinks OK.

Both my mom and I shed several tears today, both in exasperation at our dog's stubbornness and because we see that she is having such trouble. I'm reading things online that state that it may be time to "put her down" humanely. This makes me sick to my stomach to think about, but it may be the best thing to do. I don't know how we'll get her to the vet, though. Right now, she is laying down in the living room where she has been ALL day. She only moves if we manage to get her up.

Please say some prayers that we can make the right decision regarding euthanasia. St. Francis, please pray for us!