So sorry for your loss, and I have shared your pain. We've lost 2 of our beloved over the last 4 years. The first was Elsie, a long haired Chihuahua, she was 17 years old when we had to make a similar decision, fortunately she had divorced herself from our affection a few years earlier and we were merely her keepers. The pain wasn't nearly as bad as when we lost Maggie, a Minature Pinscher. We had four at the time, Missy, Maggie, Molly and Moka. Each unique and special in their own way. While I love them all, Maggie was very special to me. I work at night and while the others would great me when I got home at midnight, Maggie would always sit in my lap at night until I went to bed. We lost her when she coded during a teeth cleaning while under anesthesia. I was crushed, probably the most upset I've been in a long time. Recently, fate has brought us a new member to our family. Punkin a red Minature Pinscher (all our others are black), headed for the pound and rescued by us. I KNOW I will see Maggie again, as well as Elsie.