Goodbye Friend.

Spike passed away today.

Yesterday afternoon we noticed that Spike wasn't feeling well and yesterday evening late I was in doubt whether to call the vet but decided not to when he fell asleep.

This morning he still wasn't ok. He didn't even get up for a cookie, and being a beagle, that meant there was something seriously wrong with him.

So I called the vet and got an appointment at 10 o'clock.
I didn't have a good feeling about it and knew something sad was going to happen. And all my fears became true.
The vet diagnosed that Spike had a huge tumor in his stomach, the size of a fist. He could also tell that the poor dog was in a lot of pain, had hypothermia and was actually in shock already.
Well, so was I when I heard all that bad news.

There was only one option left, and that was euthanasia. A decision I knew I had to make one day, since the moment we took him from the animal shelter 5 years ago.
And suddenly that decisive moment arrived. Pfffff.... I made it, knowing it was the best thing to do for Spike.

Goodbye my loyal friend, thank you for those fantastic 5 years you were with us. Sometimes annoying, sometimes difficult, but always as a loving and happy family friend. You are now in 'beagletjesland' as Bas and Daan always joked. No more pain and all the food you can eat, I bet.

Spike's leaving a big hole in my family. We're all devestated and don't know what to do right now. The house is empty. We're not complete anymore.
Let's hope (and I expect it will) time will heal this wound too.