Sad Day

This morning, I took Daisy to the vet and had her put to sleep.  It was a difficult thing to do, but coming on the past several weeks, it was the best decision I could make.  So, why am I bawling my eyes out and feeling absolutely rotten?!

For the last few months, Daisy has been going crazy and attacking Cinnamon--viciously, often when Cinnamon was on my lap or under my chair.  I thought it was a phase Daisy was going through and that she'd stop.  Wrong on both counts: Daisy's attacks intensified until this past week, when Daisy picked Cinnamon up by the head and jaw and shook her until I thought Cinnamon's head was going to come off.  The whole time Daisy was growling and completely out of control and I was in the middle of the attack, trying to protect Cinnamon while hopefully getting Daisy to let her go.

This past week has been intense, with me never knowing if/when Daisy would attack, so I isolated Daisy outside in the back yard, leaving her kennel and food/water out there with the gate firmly locked.  I hated to do that to my beloved dog, but I knew that Cinnamon would die from Daisy's attacks and I didn't want that to happen.  Yucheng didn't understand the intensity of the attacks until this past weekend when Daisy came after Cinnamon and Yucheng realized how dangerous Daisy was.  I told Yucheng that I was going to have Daisy euthanized, and he was reluctant to agree until he was part of this last attack.  He realized that "our" Daisy was gone and an evil spirit had taken over her body.

I went into the backyard to get her for her final ride in the car this morning and it was the "old" Daisy, cuddly and the sweetest dog in the world.  However, as I brought her through the house, she saw Cinnamon and starting pulling on her leash and growling.  I knew then that for whatever reason, Daisy was gone and the dog who had taken over her body was far too dangerous to live.  I called the vet, explained the situation, and they told me to come right in.  They gave her a sedative, then let me into the room to say goodbye, and administered the final injection.  Daisy was peaceful and gone in a minute. The tears started to flow as I really loved Daisy, but I knew in my heart that I had made the right decision.

The vet told me that sometimes the dogs get a parasite that can cause their personality to change. She also said that there could have been some kind of brain tumor or issue that altered her behavior and we'd never know why she went from  such a sweetheart to devil-possessed.  I have to leave this Wednesday for my trip and couldn't go without resolving the issue first.  I'll let today be my crying day and then we'll get on with life the way it used to be, before Daisy became a dog we didn't know and could no longer love.

Addendum:  Cinnamon has been out from under my bed and sleeping peacefully next to me on the couch for the first time in about 2 months.  Since Daisy made Cinnamon her target, Cinnamon's life has been hell.  Confirms my decision.