Unconditional Love

Life is a funny thing, just when you think you have it figured out it throws you a curve ball when you're looking for a fast ball.

We adopted a couple of retired Greyhounds through Greyhound Pets of America a few years back. The oldest was 7 when we brought her home. She had won a couple of big races so she became a brood bitch, basically a puppy mill for future generation of racers. Because of her life in the kennel she had lost many of her teeth due to calcium loss from so many litters of puppies. She had been passed over by many a potential adopter because of her tooth loss. Her tongue always hung out the side of her mouth. She always had a goofy look because of her tongue.

She had grown deaf over the years, it had gotten to the point where you had to walk up to her in the backyard to even let her know it was time to come in. Old age was catching up to her, it made no difference how much glucosamine you added to her food she was having troubles even standing. Over the last month she had pretty much stopped eating and was loosing weight. At her paek she weighted 65 pounds.

This past Saturday morning she had this look on her face like "It's Time". We called our Veterinarian and made an appointment for later in the day. When we entered the vets office we put her on the scale she was down to 47 pounds. We were escorted to one of the exam rooms where the process was explained to us. The vet gave her a sedative to make her comfortable. Then the katimine was administered, she took one more deep breath then she was gone.

We had almost 6 years with Gretchen in our house, all she ever ask for in return for her Unconditional Love was to have her ears scratched. We are grieving her passing as is our other Greyhound as his companion of the past 6 years is no longer here to steal his bed and cookies.

So, here I sit 48 hours later, tears running down my face over a goofy Greyhound who's tongue always hung out the side of her mouth.

Life is a funny thing!