By last fall, Molly had virtually no kidneys left. We had her on a prescription diet, and were supplementing with chitin and antacid. We had been administering increasing doses subcutaneous fluids for months, and she was up to 100 ccs per day before Thanksgiving. It was working, but only to forstall the inevitable. The Vet had advised us that Molly probably would not make it through the Holidays. We were to watch for her to begin losing energy and/or appetite as a sign that her time was coming.
Friday evening, it became very clear that something was wrong. We took her in to the clinic yesterday morning and had our fears confirmed. We did the best and hardest thing we could for her, and I buried her near her old house after we brought her back home.
I know we gave her a longer and better life than she would have had otherwise, and I know it was her time, and that delaying that difficult decision would have meant meaningless suffering for her. But it is still a crushingly painful thing to do. We have so much power over the creatures around us, it is both awesome and awful to wield it.
Thank you all again for you kindness toward Molly, Kat and me.
