<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)">
<style>
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body bgcolor=white lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple>
<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;color:navy'>After having several dogs die of congestive heart failure, I
can tell you that Xaxa will have good days, and he will also have bad days. For
me it's all about quality of life – if he is enjoying life and having
more good days than bad, then just let him be and watch him. He will let
you know when he is no longer enjoying his life, and that is when it is time to
let him go. I think that's what people mean by "the look" and
it is different for every dog. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;color:navy'>My last dog to die of congestive heart failure was Mr. Gus
the Dachshund. He could have lived possibly several months longer than he
did, but he hated taking medicine twice a day, just hated it, and he hated not
being able to go on walks, he lived for his walks. One morning he refused
to eat chicken (unheard of), wouldn't take his medicine, and then turned around
and trudged over to his blankets with his shoulders all hunched down, and I
knew that he was totally unhappy with his life. And I could hear his
breathing getting worse, which meant even more medicine, and I decided that
even though I could keep him alive a while longer, it would be for me, not for
him. His quality of life was gone. I called the Office, then the
Vet and made an appointment for several hours later, then he and I had some
good last time at home, then we went driving around in the car for a while (he
loved that), then we went to Jack In the Box and got cheeseburgers (he really
loved that), then went to the Vet. I hated it and wished I could have put
it off, but I have never regretted sending him on that day, it was the right
decision for him. Just watch and do your best.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;color:navy'>Anita Woodrum<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;color:navy'>awoodrum@clear.net <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>