Saying Good-bye - Two days before I had Odie euthanized, he seemed fine, but acted tired. Around midday, we went for a short walk through the neighborhood. After dinner, I watched TV while Odie chewed on a bone. A short while later, he uncharacteristically put the bone aside and went to bed.

In retrospect, Odie's inner flame was quickly dimming. He continued getting weaker throughout the night. By morning, he could hardly stand without assistance. He didn't seem to be in any pain, just incredibly fatigued. At the vet clinic, his doctor confirmed my worst fear: Odie's life was drawing to a close. She recommended euthanasia but suggested I bring him home one last time to say good-bye.

The next day, December 28, I said my final farewell to Odie and ended my friend's long fight with cancer. He was surrounded by loved ones while the vet injected the life-ending drug into his rear leg. Seconds later, Odie died peacefully in my arms.

Epilogue - Most people's impression of chemotherapy is of debilitating side effects and hair loss. Yet when treating dogs the dosage is smaller, resulting in minimal side effects (click here for specifics). Thanks to Odie's expert medical care, he never suffered any lasting pain or prolonged discomfort during his yearlong battle with cancer. Right up until the end, the quality of his life remained high, apparent by his good health and happy spirits.

But if Odie's life was trouble free (from his point of view), mine wasn't. During his treatment, I experienced many emotional ups and downs. Often I was hopeful, expecting to beat the odds with longer than average remission times (another dog being treated for cancer had been in remission for two years, twice the normal period). Then just as suddenly, having those expectations dashed with news of the cancer's return. The bitter lesson here is to be open to disappointment and heartache. Expect it, except it, and then move on. Your dog looks to you for reassurance, so project a positive attitude. You'll both be better for it!

So was it worth the financial expense, the physical effort, the emotional cost? To use chemotherapy meant Odie had one more year for enjoying his favorite pastimes like playing outside with the other neighborhood dogs; napping away a lazy summer afternoon; raiding an overgrown vegetable garden; chewing a leather bone; going for a stroll in a park. These are priceless moments which will remain with me for the rest of my life. I wouldn't have done it any other way!

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Odie's Year with Cancer
Discovery | Remission | Recurrence | Farewell

Odie's Chemotherapy
12-Week Protocol | Side Effects

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