Pobre Chew

I think Chew is dying. To be honest, I have thought this many times and have been wrong. I swear that dog does not want to die. Many mornings when I get up and go downstairs to let the dogs out, Chew is breathing so shallowly and, since he's deaf, he doesn't hear me and keeps sleeping. I always think, oh, this is the day he's really dead, and then he feels Ben jumping around on his bed and wakes up. Then, I feel silly.

Lately, though, his arthritis has been worse, he's been less interested in food, and has been sleeping very, very soundly for long periods. It's gotten to where I have to put the food in his mouth and remind him what food is for.

Earlier this evening, I saw Chew hanging out with Ben. He seemed alright. I checked their water bowls and topped them up. I went out to Costco with Mick, just to hang out. I came back a couple hours later and went out to find and feed the dogs. Ben, of course, came to find me right away and started eating. I found Chew and saw he was sleeping, and did the, ha, look at me, I think Chew is dying again, how stupid am I thing. Then, I noted he was breathing differently, very deeply and rapidly, and his mouth was moving like maybe he was eating or barking in his sleep. I put food near his nose, because usually that will wake him up. It didn't work. I clapped my hands really loudly and that didn't work. I usually don't like to touch him when he's sleeping, because it startles him so. However, I touched him softly, and then with more force while making loud noises, but he didn't wake up or move.

It was a little warm today, in the 70's, and I thought, well, maybe the heat was too much for this old guy. I went and got a syringe and filled it with water and squirted it in his mouth a few times. He didn't respond.

I went out a few minutes later and his tongue was in a weird position, sort of overly relaxed, and he was making a gurgling sound. He had peed in his sleep. There was a lot of drool coming out of his mouth. Oh, sweet Chew, is this the end?