Dog woke up at 4:45 this morning in full Weather Alert Mode. When he does this I turn on the TV and usually find there is an impending weather situation, and I calm him down, or at least try.
Today's weather didn't arrive until 3:30 in the afternoon, and by then the dog had stress barfed twice He just puked up the bright yellow bile because he'd been too freaked out to eat.
Finally, the bad weather passed. I expected him to calm down.
Instead, he traded in his demanding yip for a pitiful whine. Then he started losing track of where his legs were. Then he began navigating around the room by walking right next to the walls.
And finally, and most concerning, he stands in front of his water dish and whines, but he hasn't had anything to drink all day. I've taken to squirting water in his mouth with a syringe.
So, I'm sleeping on the floor tonight and taking him to the vet tomorrow. Hoping it's the doggie flu....
Update: ... And then he began crying because he was wandering and would get stuck in a corner, then he was crying all the time. So we took him to the all-night vet, and they diagnosed brain cancer (something about calcium in his blood).
Anyway, we put him to sleep. It's very sad. and sudden.
OMG! I saw this only in the Reader at first, and if I hadn't clicked through wouldn't have seen the update! I'm so very sorry. Pets have too short a life span, it's very hard on us humans.
Posted by: Candy | January 30, 2013 at 08:41 AM
Oh no. So very sorry.
Posted by: Kristie | January 30, 2013 at 09:09 AM
Oh, I'm so sorry! Losing a pet is hard enough when you see it coming, but suddenly like this is so much worse.
Posted by: Beth | January 30, 2013 at 09:41 AM
Oh Dear poor puppy and poor you. We do love our fur babies.
Posted by: Zayrina | January 30, 2013 at 09:53 AM
I am so sorry for your loss. I can't imagine. I will keep you in my thoughts.
Posted by: Brenda | January 30, 2013 at 12:14 PM
Oh my! I'm so sorry to hear this. It's hard when you see it coming but you turn a blind eye; I can't imagine how hard that train hits when you didn't see it. Good thing he had nice humans to take care of him and be there at the end when he needed it most.
Take care.
Posted by: Amy in StL | January 30, 2013 at 12:41 PM
::hugs::
Posted by: Erin | January 30, 2013 at 12:42 PM
Oh no! I'm so sorry for you all.
Posted by: Trisha | January 30, 2013 at 02:49 PM
So sorry to hear this. All of our cats are decidedly "senior" and even though I'm pre-emptively cataloging the ways in which they annoy me to make the eventual day easier when it comes, I still don't think I'll ever be ready. Very sad, indeed.
Posted by: twitter.com/sarah11918 | January 30, 2013 at 02:55 PM
That is so sad! Very sorry to hear about this.
Posted by: Faythe | January 30, 2013 at 03:01 PM
Oh no! That is very sudden, and terribly sad. I am so sorry, Ellen. I am a longtime reader of your blog and I always enjoyed your stories about Mac. It is a sad loss, for sure.
Posted by: LaurenT | January 30, 2013 at 03:52 PM
That fucking sucks. Sending love to you guys. Mac was a good boy.
Posted by: Angie | January 30, 2013 at 03:59 PM
You were so good to him and he was so good for you. I'm sorry to hear that he has passed.
Posted by: Becs | January 30, 2013 at 04:10 PM
I'm so very sorry. That totally blows.
Posted by: Kristin | January 30, 2013 at 05:00 PM
Aww... I'll miss the little guy. He was a cutie. I'm so sorry, Ellen and Gary. :-(
Posted by: Marcia | January 30, 2013 at 05:32 PM
Oh no! That's most awful! I am so terribly sorry and sad. I love my dog and my cats tremendously and it hurts so much when I must let one of them go. Many many hugs.
Posted by: Murphy Jacobs | January 30, 2013 at 06:10 PM
You never know when it's going to be the last time a dog sits on your head. Farewell, Mac.
Posted by: Caroline | January 30, 2013 at 08:37 PM
Everyone - thank you all
Posted by: TheQueen | January 30, 2013 at 09:14 PM