R.I.P. ~ Pepper ~

She had been with us for almost 17 years. This past year has been a long road, as we've dealt with many Senior issues. This winter had been hard on the old gal. So much snow and ice to deal with and an old dog that often needed to be carried back into the house. Some days she wouldn't even go down off the porch when we let her outside, instead using the porch as her potty. About a month ago she began having seizures related to the ever growing number of tumors. We had to keep her closed in a safe room when we weren't home and at night to ensure her safety. On Sunday, 2/24/08 the poor old gal went through a cluster of seizures that she was never able to recover from. I am thankful that this did not happen while I was away during the prior week, and I am even more thankful that the kids were not here to witness this. It was a family decision to care for Pepper to the very end. Shortly after I returned home from work on Thursday, 2/28/08, Pepper took her final breath and passed away peacefully. Due to the multiple FEET of snow this winter, we took her body to the Vet's to be frozen until spring when we will give Pepper a proper burial. This photo was taken on 2/10/08 by one of the kids.