Max the labrador beagle

We rescued Max from the pound back in '04. He had a lot of issues, fear of dogs and people and chronic ear and skin conditions. In September, his shoulder began bothering him, so we added a supplement to his food. Today, when I came home from work, he refused a treat and went off to lay down. He is resting in the kitchen. I made an appointment with his favorite vet for next week, but I can't shake the feeling that this appointment will be like the one for our previous dog. Keep him comfortable until his quality of life determines that the humane action is to put him to sleep. Max did have a reasonably good life with us and enjoyed the puggle and mini dachsund that we adopted 3 years ago. Max, before the bad shoulder and short of breath days, loved to trek around the field. He enjoyed laying on his back and wriggling his body in "the worm." My husband and Max would wrestle. He howls with the distinctive hound arrrrrrrroooooo. It is so hard when loved ones reach their geriatric days and then the end of their life. Saying good bye and trying to fill the hole of their absence is painful.