Author: Tracy Ahrens

On Thanksgiving night in 2007, I shared a bite of pumpkin pie and whipped cream with my Brittany Spaniel, Speckles. Soon, he had trouble breathing, and I rushed him to an emergency veterinary clinic 40 miles away. I know that he has a paralyzed larynx and slightly collapsed lungs. I knew the difficulty of breathing would be a sign that he would face death. All this happened very soon after the diagnosis. That night at the emergency clinic, I kissed his cheek, my tears soaked his fur while he was under sedation. When he was euthanized, I told him that…