This is entirely off topic but on my mind. So I hope you'll indulge me. Last night we had to euthanize our Airedale, Emma. You can see a picture of Emma with the family here.
Emma was eight with a very sweet personality. She's been with us since she was a puppy. She started feeling poorly during the day yesterday and we took her in to the vet around 8:00 last night. He examined her, took an x-ray and came back with the bad news that her abdomen was filled with fluid, most likely from a ruptured tumor or other serious internal problem. There wasn't anything he could do and he strongly recommended that we put her down.
Although she was in some discomfort, Emma was still able to walk and respond to us. We each spent some time with her alone. As I sat with her stroking her fur I talked to her. First, I thanked her for being such a wonderful part of our family, for being such a good friend and companion to all of us. She gave us a great deal and really asked for very little in return. The second thing was to tell her I was sorry that I hadn't been as caring and attentive as I could have. Too many times, on the way to something that seemed (perhaps was) more important, I would hustle right past her without a kind word or a pat on the head.
Two overriding feelings: thank you and I'm sorry. Emma was a great dog. We'll all miss her very much.