Dear Kobe-san,

(that's what my brother calls our dog Kobe.)

You have been a nice little dog--a little finicky when it comes to your health--but altogether a nice dog. Today we learned your knees aren't doing what knees should. And the fact that you hurt yourself out on the ice and snow this morning only made it worse. Way worse. Worse like the vet told us to make sure to turn you over every once and a while so you don't get bed sores-worse. They can operate but the bill is too high for your owners to pay. We feel pretty bad about the whole situation.

We'll keep thinking and praying about what to do in the morning. I'll take you outside so you can lay down in the snow to pee. Because you can't do the one-leg-pee-stance or the squat anymore. And cry a few more tears because even though you are hands down the most expensive pet I've ever owned, we still like you a lot. And you stopped peeing on my floor so now we're friends and all. (although if you did that again it might make our decision that much easier.)

Des really likes you too. I'm sorry he tried to pull you out of your kennel today when you were all broken and hurting. I tried to keep him from climbing in as well. But after you took refuge on my lap things went better and Des really liked closing himself in your kennel. At least he left you alone for 20 minutes. And you got to score some hard-to-get lap time so I guess that's good.

Good boy, Kobe. Good boy.

Love,
your owners