Thanks, folks, for the voices of compassion.

Yes I am having a hard time. But please know that I am using it intentionally and powerfully as an opportunity to pre-grieve (I've written about that dynamic here before), and my more pressing concerns (for which PMs would be much more helpful than posts) are:

a. Hardi will have hisseff a harder time with this one, than I;
b. I need info about making F as comfortable as possible so we can enjoy him as long as possible...

And in connection with Part B there-- SQUEAM ALERT on--

We understand that many dogs with this thing remove, themselves, what they can. I need info about THAT, but prefer for the sake of all of us that it not appear in the THREAD.

Squeam alert off, and off on A-daily-FGO,

~Susan
Maybe another membername change in the works there, LOL