No wasted space here. I still get all teared up when I think about the german shepard I had from age 9 to 23. That dog was my best friend for a very long time, so I feel your pain. And a month or so ago, my cat "retard" had a urinary tract infection. They did x-rays to check his kidneys, and found that he's got an enlarged heart, and his hip sockets are destroyed. The Vet said that from the x-rays, the cat shouldn't even be able to walk, let alone run and jump like he does. So, I don't know how much longer he'll be around, because there's no way I'll let him suffer. And I've had him for 10 years. It's never easy.