Death on our arms

“You can write a whole book on those few moments” said my wife with tear drops on her eyes referring our dog’s passing away last Friday. She did not die in her sleep or while we were asleep. She died in our arms looking into our eyes as she gave her last breath, and the one after that. She waited until we were all there. It is so extraordinary that a non-human species being so conscious of death. She was 16 years old in dog years. Roughly 90 years of age in human equivalent. On Tuesday she suddenly fell ill. I was asleep but heard her crying. When I went by to check she was not moving. Something was wrong. We took her to hospital next day and she stayed there two days. By that time the veterinarian told us her pulse was very low and there was little they could do. They did not predict how much time she would have. There were cases animals could live years in that state. We took her home Thursday thinking that maybe we would visit seaside over the weekend. She loved playing with water and getting herself soaked in the ocean. Thursday night I went out with a friend. She stayed with my wife and would wait for me. When I was back I found them sleeping together on the floor. I let wife go to bed and slept next to my dog. Early in the morning she woke up and attempted stand-up and walk. I thought she was trying to go to outside. I took her to roof so she could do her toilet but it was not that what she was after. She was searching for my wife. We came back, I laid her down and woke my wife up. Then it was all very fast. Her breath got weaker, eyes fixed on us. Looking, seeing, and remembering. I tried to feed her but her head slipped further back. Then few sudden outbursts of breath, and she wheezed. Then wheezed one more time and her last breath left her body. She went to eternal sleep.