Making that decision to take your pet to the vet for the final visit is just so hard, I had to take my gorgeous lovely Schnauzer, Molly, in September 2007. She had arthritis in her elbow and when I had her checked that day we discovered her whole spine was riddled with it, I knew it was the right thing to do as she was in pain, but it didn't make it any easier.
My family is banned from leaving anything on "her" chair as in the half light I often think my darling dog is there again.
I still have Conker, our Welsh Terrier, who is so full of character and (reasonably) good for a terrier and I love him to bits, but Molly was our first dog and there for all my life crises.