Momma - the best of all dogs

by Maureen Glynn
(California, USA)

Momma was a Lhasa Apso rescue who came into our lives just a year and a half ago.

We do dog and horse rescue, and have other small dogs, and so I wasn't surprised to get an email one day asking if we would take an old, small dog who was blind and who was scheduled for euthanasia that day.

The rescue organization that had her brought her over to my house and we tried her with the other dogs to make sure we could manage it OK since we hadn't had a blind dog before.

Well, blind was only the half of it. She was also deaf, lame, and had black, decaying stickers in both ears. And chronic kidney failure. And weighed far too little. She had apparently had many litters, and we had her spayed when we got her. She was microchipped too, but the information only led to a dead end.

In spite of all of the above, she captured our hearts. We got her eye drops to improve her eyesight and the pain, ear drops for her ears, medication for her kidneys, and supplements for her joints. She taught us how to carry her around everywhere and cater to her every whim. She was always the ultimate goddess. We were honored to be allowed to serve her. She was probably Cleopatra in another lifetime.

Her greatest pleasures were rolling in the grass on our lawn, which she would do 3 -4 times a day, taking a leisurely stroll around the yard, and then coming back in to sleep again; and eating. She taught us to hand feed her baked chicken and other treats, and occasionally she would even eat canine kidney diet.

This past weekend, she finally succumbed to the tremendous pressure on her heart that resulted from her failing kidneys. Fighting to the end, she crossed over on Sunday, November 2nd, at 11:30 am.

We will never forget her and will ever be grateful that we had the chance to have her in our lives. Our biggest hope is that we gave just even a small percentage of the joy we experienced, back to her during that time.

God Bless, Momma, as you look down on us all from the special heaven where you belong. We will never forget you, and we can never replace you.