I lost my best little mate two weeks short of his 10th birthday. That was about 18 months ago. It was extremely sudden. One day he's running around like a puppy,but the next morning, he was just gasping to breathe. I phoned the vet who said to bring him straight down and we'll put him on oxygen. I took him and the vet said to leave him for the day and they'll phone later today. I went back home and literally 15 minutes after getting home, they phoned me. He said "can you get back urgently. We're losing him!" I dashed back and they took me straight into the back of the vets where my boy was just laying there, still struggling to breathe. The vet said he had a massive amount of fluid on his lungs and there was nothing he could do. It would be best to let him go. That was it. I gave him hugs and then while I held onto him, he was given the injection. I just broke down and cried my eyes out.
We had him cremated and have his ashes casket in our bedroom, along with his favourite toys, rosettes and paw prints. I still get upset thinking about that day - even now as I type, I'm filling up. He was my whole life, my companion and best friend. Never forgotten. His "shrine" in our bedroom.
RIP Harvey, my beautiful Chihuahua.