This evening we had to say goodbye to our beloved companion, MacDuff. He was a courageous fellow, but he had come to the end of his road. He was 13 1/2 this September, and he lived longer than either of my previous Scotties.
We had been treating him at home for some health issues; our vet was very good and dedicated to work with us. MacDuff had basically gone blind over the past year, and he had arthritis in his hips and some liver problems. But late last week he took a bad turn for the worse; vomiting, diarrhea, and labored breathing. In addition, we discovered a lump at the base of his throat, which the vet said almost certainly indicated lymphoma. Some further tests would have confirmed that diagnosis, but at his age, it would not have made a difference. He was not a candidate for surgery, and we would not subject him to treatments that would have briefly prolonged his life, but not given him a better quality of life.
