Paddy was diagnosed with Extra-skeletal Osteosarcoma.  This is a very aggressive form of cancer that usually begins in the bones. In Paddy's case, it started in the mesentary (the part that brings blood to the intestines) and grew to incorporate his stomach, spleen and pancreas. They also found spots in his liver.

We spoke to a canine oncologist, who outlined some treatment options. However she made it clear that this cancer was terminal, and that any treatment would only have a small chance to prolong his life.The prognosis for this type of cancer is typically 30-90 days from diagnosis. We decided against treatment. The drugs offered little hope and we just wanted Paddy to enjoy whatever time he had left. Even the oncologist, who rarely offers her opinion on such matters, agreed that this was probably the best course.

Paddy recovered from surgery and was soon back to his sweet self: going for walks, playing with his toys and enjoying his food. He tolerated the onesies that Mom made him wear to protect his incision, and even figured out that he could push his e-collar back if he ran into enough walls. Too smart for his own good :)

However, on Sunday, we started to notice changes in him. He was more reluctant to eat and he spent a lot of the day resting. He was still able to greet us and play a bit, but his spirits were lower than normal. This continued into Monday, with increasing difficulty getting up and clumsiness. He refused to eat his hamburger on Monday night, and was only able to drink a bit of milk.

He woke us Tuesday morning by literally falling out of bed. Mommy made him bacon and eggs, and while he was definitely interested in this favorite treat, he ate very little. Throughout the day, he gave us signs that he was in pain. He would leave the room and hide behind the dining room table. He stopped drinking. Even a trip to his favorite park didn't seem to cheer him up. We gave him pain medicine and something to help with appetite, but these were ineffective. In the afternoon, Paul noticed that his gums and tongue were not pink anymore, but closer to white. This is usually a sign of internal bleeding or low white blood cell count. Renee made arrangements to leave work as soon as possible and arrived to carry Paddy into the vet's office for the last time.

Our vet's office treated us with true compassion and care. Both of us were with him when he received the injections. We petted his head and told him how much we loved him. He passed peacefully, surrounded by all the love we could give him. While it hurts terribly, we are comforted by the thought that he is no longer in pain. While the house is already too quiet, we are planning to take some time to grieve this newest loss before inviting another dog into our lives.

When this little guy walked into our life 4 years, 2 weeks and 3 days ago, we had no idea who he was. We didn't know how old he was. We didn't know he would be blind in six months. We didn't know he was a great runner, a great cuddler, a great basketball player, or a great friend. We didn't know how much we would call on him to help us heal our broken hearts, and we certainly didn't know (but we should have guessed) how much he would help us become better people. 

We wish to extend our gratitude to the wonderful vets at Arboretum View Animal Hospital for their quality care and guidance, and to New Lenox Animal Clinic and the wonderful doctors and staff who have been with Paddy through all his hurts and scrapes. To Tucker's Doggie Delights who helped us feed him natural and holistic food and who watched him so carefully while we were in the hospital.

And of course, to Illinois Cocker Rescue who introduced us to this wonderful, loving pup. Aly saved Paddy from being euthanized after he was found as a stray 4 years ago and recognized that he would be the best addition to our family. The important work of this organization is worthy and wonderful. If you have a minute, please check out their page. (http://www.ilcockerrescue.org/ )  You can even see Paddy's before and after pictures under Happily Forevers (2007, He was Willie back then)

Thank you to all of you who have sent us all good thoughts and good energy through the last few weeks. We all hoped that we would have more time, but we know we made the best of the time we had.

Much Love,

Paul and Renee