Death of a family pet.

Last Saturday my auntie to rang to tell me that their dog had been admitted to hospital, with a swollen painful abdomen. The Vet was now advising them to transfer to an after hours center for intensive care over the weekend, the bill could have been in thousands of dollars. What should they do? This is always a difficult question, but harder when it is about a family pet that I could not see.
I rang the vet hospital where the dog was staying and spoke at length with the vet on duty about the case. There was no way they where going to spend thousands of dollars at an after hours center, but there was the possibility the dog might get better by just staying on a fluid line. I suggest The dog stay at the hospital without supervision. It was against the policy of that vet hospital, but as long as the owners understood that it would be okay. On Sunday the dog seemed brighter and was able to go for a walk. They where very hopeful that he might go home the next day. But Monday came and the dog was a lot worse and they decided to euthanize. I felt sad for them and so much more involved as I knew that dog. It also made me wish I had my own vet hospital so that I could have helped treat the dog.