I grew up with pets.  For my whole life I've had one or more animals sharing my home and my life — from dogs to cats to ferrets to fish to spiders to… well, you get the idea.  The most difficult choice we have to make regarding a pet is when to let them go.  Veterinary medicine has advanced significantly in years past, but our pets rely on us to communicate their wishes since they're unable to do so.  I think we often make the wrong decision by selecting continuing treatment, prolonging the animal's life at the expense of its quality.  I read this article from MSNBC and fought back tears thinking of pets with which I had experienced similar situations.  I think, like the author of this article, that we need to think less about ourselves in these situations and more about the pet.