This morning at around 2 AM, Rex breathed his last :( He was a Black Lab, mixed with something else, 12 years old. He had been having problems for about a week with eating. I didn't think it was too serious then.. so a couple days later but we took him to the side of the house, and for some odd reason, there were more flies around him than usual.. and that was a sure sign that I've seen before with his mom, Bridget, who passed away with a tumor around my birthday in 4th grade. We shoed away the flies, brought him in the garage and I guess Dad took him back outside for the night. He ate a little and drank a lot of water. The next day, he seemed a little better. He had strength in his front legs but couldn't budge his hind legs, so he was quite stationary. But he ate a litte, drank a little, and slept a lot. He also cried a lot, which broke my heart, because I think he knew he was going soon.. Then yesterday.. He was a lot more weak.. and his lower back was wet. Dark liquid marks were around him, and I discovered that he was actually bleeding. I noticed a few little maggots in his fur, which I informed Dad about while he was at work. He told me to try to clean it, so I grabbed a glove and moved his fur out of the way and I just stopped. What I saw.. I never want to see again. A whole little nest of maggots squirming around-- and it wasn't even the main part of his fur where the blood seemed to come from. I couldn't handle it-- I knew then why Rex was crying.. why he couldnt eat or get up. The maggots were digging inside him. I cried. I won't hesitate to admit it. It was such.. a terrible sight. I pet him, trying to comfort him, because he wouldn't stop whining. Soon he was quiet and rested.. and I knew he was going soon and I cried more. I wanted him to be put down right away.. but it was Halloween and we were supposed to go to my Auntie's house. We ended up leaving him in the garage.. And part of me hoped he would die while we were gone, and the other part of me wanted to be with him at his time. The whole night I thought about Rex.. I decided to have Dad take him to be put down this morning while I was at school. We got home, and I thought I would wait for Dad to come back home first before I watch Rex again. I fell asleep. When I woke up, Dad told me that Rex passed away at around 2 this morning. We went into the garage and I saw Rex laying there, as if he were asleep. Then we got in the car to go to school. While we were in the car, Dad told me what happened. He was on his way home from work, and he stopped by Wal Mart to get antibiotics and ointment for Rex's lower back. When he got home, opened the garage door, Kisa, my cat, ran in and started eating her cat food. The sound of the crunching food woke Rex, and he seemed agitated and tried to move towards the sound of the food. My dad pet him and apologized. "I'm sorry, we weren't able to take care of you." And a couple seconds later, his stomach went down and didn't rise. He passed about a minute after Dad came home. As if he was waiting for Dad to come.. so that he can accept his apology. I cried on the way to school. When I got out of the car, I knew I looked miserable. And even though I was looking down, trying to hide my eyes behind my hair, I could feel their eyes on me. I love my friends.. They comforted me at school and I felt better. Only, I don't feel better, because I know that Rex is just a dog. Animals don't have souls like humans, therefore they don't go to heaven. They just.. disappear. I feel ashamed for crying over my dog.. because I think back at Jim's death and I think. Why I am I crying over a dog? It's nothing compared to a human life. But still. I had that dog since before I can remember. I can't help but to cry for him. This makes me not want any more pets now. because.. I love pets, but I'm afraid of when they die. I don't want them to die. So.. I think I won't get any more pets for a long time.. though I really want another dog. RIP Rex, the best dog ever ♥ January 1994 ~ November 1, 2006 | 
