Our Dog Bailey

Just when I thought our thirteen-year-old female collie dog would live forever, she had another one of her episodes two nights ago and it is still going on today. Her breathing is rapid and irregular, as is her heart beat. She continues to have a rattling cough that will not go away. She did not eat anything at all yesterday, except for the bite or two of Mongolian beef and steamed rice that I somehow managed to get her to swallow. When she finally does drink water, she seems extremeley thirsty, but it is harted to get her started in the first place. She has no appetite. She will not eat her food unless you hold it up for her the entire duration of her meal. She cannot walk anymore, as of last night. She did not leave the house once yesterday, let alone even the small room she was in, to get up and go to the bathroom and/or to eat. When we did get her outside, my dad had to carrie her like a baby and when he sat her down on the grass, she fell. We tried this multiple times, and each time she would fall. She could not even squat to go to the bathroom. Her back legs just kept giving out. I eventually convinced my dad to carry her in and put her on the sofa (something he would NEVER do if this dog were not dying). It seemed to put her at ease ever so slightly, but she still was having trouble breathing. Not to mention, she peed on the sofa. Dad did not even seem that mad. I was in shock. Normally, my dad would be so angry I that would not have words to describe it. But not this time. He remained calm.

As bedtime approached, my dad said she had to go sleep out in the garage because our dog Bailey is afraid of storms and will keep my dad up all night otherwise. Bailey has always walked up to the mailbox every morning with my dad to get the mail, even when she seems like she's at death's door. But today, when I asked him if she did, he said no. This was it. The day that she stops walking up to the mailbox with dad every morning. The day she can no longer get up and walk by herself. The day she can no longer control her bodily functions. The day she officially loses her appetite. This is it. Today or tomorrow, we will have to bring her to the vet to be put down. Her quality of life is no good anymore. To be honest, it hasn't been for awhile. But I think we have been selfish trying to keep her around for so long since her brother did not too long ago. He was put down on my sister's golden birthday, July 19th. So we could either put her down today, or we could wait until tomorrow, the 19th of April, and ironically, my mom's birthday. I guess at least it would be fair this way for my sister, and at least it will not be my mom's golden birthday. We'll see. I hope she's still alive when I come home from school today.

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