Mark,
My husband gave me a copy of your book Rescuing Sprite. I cryed . In January 2005 we had to make the decision to end our pets suffering. Plato was a daschaund. He woke up the day after Christmas 2004 paraylized. We took him to our vet. and he sent us to the University of Georgia in Athens. We were told surgery was less than a 50/50 chance. He had discs that slipped into the spinal column and they felt the surgery would probally not help. He would have to stay for 2 weeks without me. (We live 2 hours from athens). I could not bare to put him through such a traumatic time and not even be with him.

We opted to go home. I called my vet on the way home and he said he would have done the same thing. we ordered a cart for him in hopes it would releive some of the pressure and it would help him maintain mobility. We understood the discs could slip upward at anytime which would cut off the respiratory system slowly. I cared for him around the clock. I had to express his anal glands and learn to apply pressure on the urinary track to help him urinate. i loved him and kept beleiving things would be better when the cart got here. He was still the happy loving dog as always. i got up 2 to 3 times a night to change his diaper to keep his skin cleaned. One night about 3 weeks after the initial diagnosis iI woke up to hear him having difficulity breathing. I took him to the doctor the next day , and the worse had happened. The disc slipped and was affecting his breathing. I was broken hearted. The doctor(who is a friend) told me it could take days or weeks, but Plato would suffer. I asked him what he would do. He told me to think about it this way. If it was my mother would I let her suffer or unplug the machine. Not so easy. I know my mother would want me to unplug and let her go. She has told me that. But his point was why should Plato suffer just to make me feel better.

I left his office and went to talk it over with my husband. he said we should help Plato and do what was best for him. so we called the doctor and told him our decision. I would take Plato that afternoon after he saw our daughter one last time. For lunch I went to Mcdonalds and ordered chicken nuggets for him. He loved them, but very seldom got them because i was watching his weight. I swear he smiled everytime I gave him one. We arrived at the animal hospital and the entire office cryed when we walked in. They had watched Plato grow from a puppy to the handsome adult he now was. Plato was only 7 years old. I went to the private room and waited. dr. Kennedy came in and told me I could wait outside if I wanted. I couldn’t. I had to be there. I wanted to be the last thing he saw. I wanted him to know he was loved. It was the hardest thing I have ever done. I held him until he was gone. Dr. Kennedy wrapped him in his favorite blanket and carried him to my car. (we buried him on our property) Dr. Kennedy stood in the parking lot and held me and cryed with me.

Your book moved me so much. I have decided to buy a dozen copies and donate them to dr Kennedy’s office. When someone loosing thier pet I want him to give them a copy to help ease the pain. I also have a copy for him with a little note to let him know we appreciated everything he did, and still does for us. Thank you,

Roxanne from GA