Here is more close-up. YOu can somewhat see the branch sprouting from the trunk. It splits into 2 different branches. There is also another one on the other side of the tree that is smaller. I couldnt get a clear pic. of that guy. http://i706.photobucket.com/albums/ww64/RyansRedwoods/291.jpg http://i706.photobucket.com/albums/ww64/RyansRedwoods/293.jpg

Texas stars are hardy where you are. If it were me, I'd plant it in the ground. It may have just gone thru a bit of shock when it was moved. If you want to keep it in a pot, I'd trim off the dead and move it back into the sunlight. Barb

Thank you again for listening. It helps to "talk" about the situation. I feel badly because I'm reading so much on here lately where people have lost their beloved pets and they are going through a much deeper grief of losing someone that was basically a family member. I don't have years of memories and experiences like most on this board who have lost pets.(and I know how painful that can be as my parents lost their 2 11 year old dogs within 4 months of each other last year) I only knew this kitten (his name was Tom) for 2 months at most. It just hurts me that I couldn't save him. That his life was so short and that he never had a real home and I had planned to give him one. I have volunteered at the shelter since November and he was brought in as a foster in October. Yet I never even knew he was there until sometime in January. It was an accident that I found him. He was in the largest room at the shelter that houses about 30 cats. They normally put the active cats or young adults there. Normally 9 out of 10 of the cats there will flock to you if you sit down or walk through the door. Tom was the tenth cat in that bunch. In the short time I knew him he never sought anyone out. He was just content to watch from a distance. He wasn't scared, he just seemed very laid back (maybe he was even ill at the time and no one knew). I was sweeping the floor and they have cardboard boxes for the cats to sleep in and I was moving all the boxes and when I picked one up a little black and white face popped out. I'd woke him up and he just looked at me curiously like "hey whats going on?" He was MUCH smaller than any of the other adult cats in the room and I immediately thought he was a young kitten and that he'd been put into the room by accident. His picture wasn't on the wall (for potential adopters to see) so I definately thought it was a mistake that he was in there. I picked him up out of his box and cuddled him. He was the cutest thing! A little medium haired tuxedo (with more white than black)and a white nose. He looked at me adoringly and started purring. He was the happiest little guy when you paid attention to him. I asked the manager if he was in the wrong room and she told me that no he was actually 8 months old and he'd been small for his age since he'd come in. I had two foster cats that recently came to the shelter so I'd always pay attention to them when I was volunteering but I'd always look for Tom. Usually I found him curled up somewhere, sometimes I found him up high (he liked to climb) and I'd climb up and get him and he'd sit on my lap for a half hour and be perfectly content. He'd purr the whole time and just snuggle up against me. I probably only did this a total of six times but it seems like I'd known him longer. he was such a sweet cat, never asked for anything, but seemed to appreciate everything, any attention you gave him. I'd bring him treats and always cuddle him for awhile. When I'd arrive, i'd always selfishly hope that he was not adopted yet. About two weeks ago (after my foster cats got adopted) I decided I wanted to adopt him. He looks almost exactly like my timid girl who is a tuxedo and he was so laid back I thought he'd fit right in. Then we got this huge snowstorm and I couldn't get to the shelter for a week. When I did return (last Thursday) that is when I found out he was not eating very much and was weak. That night I fed him some treats, cuddled him on my lap for about an hour and talked to him. Told him I love him and I wanted to take him home with me when he got better. And the next day he was euthanized. And that is Tom's story. He was only 9 months old and I didn't know him very long. But I did love him and I'll never forget that little guy and I am so so sorry I couldn't save him.

Congestive Heart Failure-CHF- Physiologically,the heart and lungs are tied together for function.There are two types-at least in people- I can tell you about people, and sometimes it is quite the same in dogs, but I am just giving you an overview. There is systolic-where the heart does not pump well enough, diastolic- whhere the heart does not relax enough to let the chamber fill with blood. Blood carries oxygen- so if the cardiac blood supply is not enough, there isn't enough oxygen in the lungs to make a gas exchange. There is right sided and left sided heart failure. If it is left sided(the most important side), then fluid builds up in the lungs- making someone cough. When the fluid buildup is behind the ight ventricle, the leg swell. There are different levels-I to IV. There are good drugs to treat dogs- some are the same as for people.As a body gets older, sometimes the heart is just not as effective- don't dispair. Is the dog free of heartworm? That also causes shortness of breath and coughing. If he has bad teeth, it is soo very important to have them cleaned- in both people and dogs-probably other species, too- clean teeth are important for a healthy heart! Bacteria gets under the gums in a dirty mouth that has less than optimum gums. The bacteria then gets into the bllodstream, where it then settles in the heart- causing the heart tissue to get infected. I am glad you are getting him to the vet to find out- if it is an enlarged heart/CHF, depending on the level, there are good drugs that make a big difference. Good luck with your pup.