I am going on a trip next week, and my sons are going to be gone also, so for the first time ever, I planned to board my sweet dog, Skarlett at the Vet's. I took her there to get advice about what would be the best plan for her, and (considering her age -- 15!) we planned all kinds of accommodations for her (extra-large kennel, extra walks, and home-cooked meals from me). I was reassured when Skarlett seemed to relax when I was talking to the vet, and I thought it was going to work out. A week later, (2 nights ago), she had trouble coming upstairs, but kept crying because I WAS UPSTAIRS and she could not stand to be apart from me. I helped her, but was alarmed at her respirations, which were labored, and wet-sounding. I gave her a double dose of sedatives that the vet had just given me, but she had a really tough night. Next morning, every time she tried to get up she collapsed. I wanted to, but was afraid to help her, because she has had such painful arthritis that I thought she would cry when I tried to help her get downstairs. She seemed to know what was happening, and she seemed to want to help ME! I somehow got her down the stairway, and noted that her breathing was not as labored, but was also less frequent. I could feel her body temperature get colder. She had two sort-of attempts at breathing (no air intake) and that was it. I tried to close her cataract- opaque eyes, but she would not cooperate. I got her into my car and took her to the Vet for cremation. I rescued Skarlett days before I had cancer surgery. She rescued me just because she loved me so much.