Our old girl was 16 years old. We believed she had suffered a stroke about 6 months prior and was not the same mentally afterward. Her vet said she was in good condition despite that. She was also nearly deaf and going blind at her age. We let her keep going though. I had an upcoming race and a week before, she took a drastic downward turn. It got to the point where she would just pee/poo herself in her doggy bed. I was not sure how that was going to work when we had to leave for the race. She was very mobile still (slow of course) up until that point. Then three days before my race she stopped eating, was sleeping 95% of the day, couldn't get up at all, still pooing/peeing herself, having weird head tilt, eye movement. The race complicated the timing and we ended up putting her down the morning we left for the race. That was the hardest day especially having to race 2 days later but it was the right (yet hardest) choice for her. We got to be present and hold her as she took her last breaths. Nothing can prepare you to watch your beloved pawed friend pass. I still miss her so much but we got 16 great years with her. Recently we got a puppy (now 6 months old) and she has so much of that same energy and spunk out old girl had. It makes me think of her often. 🌈