At the end of March, we lost our 5 year old boxer to cancer. Her name was Sugar Ray. Although she lived three months after she was first diagnosed, it was the first animal death our family had to endure. It was difficult seeing the cancer melt every ounce of fat from her already skinny boxer body. Once she stopped eating and couldn't do anything but look at us with sad, pathetic eyes, I took her in to the vet's office to be put down. I had many people tell my husband and me not to be there when they injected the medication into her, that it would be very tramautic experience. I only had one person tell me about the peaceful experience she had when her dog had to be put down. She told me such a wonderful story, I knew I had to be there when Sugar passed on.
When I got to the vet clinic, they put me in an exam room, and layed a quilt on the floor. When the vet came in with the medication he would use to euthanize her, he had me lay her on the blanket. She did so very willingly, which was unusual. (Sugar always had a mind of her own) I think she knew what was going on. As the doctor injected the medication into the iv line, Sugar looked up at me, licked me four times on my cheek and fell asleep. It was the most wonderful gift, she wanted me to know that she was going to be ok. It was such a profound experience.
We miss her terribly, the crazy dog who couldn't look you in the face without licking it. She was something else.
