It's not on the scale of last week's sadness, but I just heard from my mom that our oldest family pet, who's been losing weight and appetite and coughing chronically, has been diagnosed with some kind of cardiac tumour and is on palliative care now, until my parents feel that it's time for the last car ride to the vet.

He's just past 10 years old, which is pretty young for a little pomeranian-poodle cross. Poor puppy. He's always been completely crazy and neurotic but, y'know, *ours*. It also makes me feel old since he was the replacement puppy for our first dog who died at age 13 -- when I was already in university. Wow.

Think good happy end-of-doggy-life thoughts for our Finnegan. He might not have much time left but dogs know how to wring every last little bit of joy out of living. I guess that's why they don't need as long on this planet.

*sniff*

I'm gonna go and hug my own dog right now.

My dog has some kind of neurotic stomach flu. He's been up gagging and heaving and snorting and pacing insanely ALL NIGHT. WITHOUT THROWING UP. We have tried outside, we have tried his crate, we have tried sympathy, we have tried ignoring him, we have tried shouting at him, we have tried bland foods, we have tried dog-sized doses of pepto bismol, and NOTHING IS WORKING.

*gnashes teeth*

I just want to sleep for more than 45 minutes without being woken by the sound of puppy heaving! IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK. I'm certain there's nothing seriously wrong with him...he's just feeling barfy and is completely unable to tough it out like a good little solider because he's the wussiest dog in the history of the universe.

*cries*

Never. Having. Children. Dogs are horrible enough.

Okay, when he comes back inside (again again again) I'm crating him up and leaving him to fend for himself in the wild darkness of the living room. I just hope he doesn't decide to seize or die or howl and wake up the whole house. But if I have to try and sleep in the same room with him for another hour I may kill him myself.