Had a bad weekend? Somehow I doubt it.

If I'm dead wrong, let me know, but by comparison to a friend of mine, it's been bliss.

This friend often shows up at gatherings with her two big ol' dogs. Both well-behaved and friendly. She travels a lot and takes them both with her whenever possible. She keeps us all posted on their adventures.

One has been progressively ill for awhile and over the last year it had become clear that her ability to live a normal dog life was getting difficult.

Early Saturday my friend let us know that the end of the road had come. The second dog knew something was wrong; my friend was trying to keep him busy, taking him on runs, etc. so he wouldn't wander around the house looking for his missing companion.

Then, Saturday evening came a terse message that the surviving dog had been admitted to the emergency vet with bloat, a condition common to larger dogs that involves stomach torsion -- it's massively painful and calls for immediate treatment if the dog is to be saved. Surgery was performed to remove the spleen; the dog needed plasma transfusions and was put on morphine IV's. My friend was hoping that with each hour that passed, his chances for survival would increase, but he was in such pain he had to be kept under almost all the time.

Early Tuesday morning he went into cardiac arrest and that was the end.

I know she's strong, but damn.

And then you read about human parents who leave their infants alone in cars.