Echo is still here. In fact, although I would have bet all sorts of money against it, she will be 13 on March 1, and I feel sure she will make it. She's been day-to-day off an on for well over a year. She has worn her sling for well over 3 years. She blew out one knee and the repair did not heal well. When the other knee went (at 9) we used a sling and the knee healed better than the one we had operated on, but it got weaker and after about a year we went with the sling nearly full time. She's been totally dependent on it for about 2-1/2 years. Oh, yes, and she's also almost totally blind, mostly from cataracts that she has had all her life. She still loves to eat, likes to be in on the "conversation". Loves to "take in the air" in the back yard. Was trying to make puppy angels in the snow the other day. So, we're going to have a big party on the 1st of March and go from there.