The couple of weeks leading up to this event found Nala healthy and her usual happy go lucky self! There were only two times in hindsight that she may have experienced the precursor of what would eventually be her demise. She had a moment where she seemed dazed and a bit off. Both times she retreated under the dining room table, her safe space. She stood under there for a anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes. Once she came out of her shelter she seemed fine! I did note it however and was going to mention it to her veterinarian when we went for her yearly check up this week.
The night prior to her passing all was good and Nala was jumping up and down when we had company that evening and then happily munched away on pizza crust, her favorite! She fell asleep on her bed, our living room couch which she had commandeered years ago. That Thursday morning at 4:45 AM my husband came downstairs on his way to his morning workout. He passed Nala on her couch and as he did so she raised her head acknowledging him and returned to her snoring. On his way back in he noticed that Nala was not on her couch. He began looking around for her, maybe she was by the back door and had to go out. He didn't find her there and checked her usual haunts when he discovered her at the end of the dining room sticking out half under half out of one of the chairs. She looked asleep...but wasn't. Frantically he woke me up at 5:45 saying "I think Nala is dead!" Our poor bullie girl was gone. It must of been quick we assume, maybe it was a stroke or her heart failed but whichever it was we hope it was painless. She looked peaceful as she laid there as we covered her up and her companion and bullie brother Sylva sniffed knowingly around the blanket.
Nala had just turned 9 years old a few days before. We had her for 7 of those years. Before that her owner was Samantha who had her as a pup. She was always loved and well taken cared of and did indeed have a wonderful life! We will miss her impish ways, her one tooth grin, her love of riding shotgun in the car and her delicate snoring. It was our privilege to have her in our lives and she gave to us more than we could give to her. Good night Nala, until we meet again on the other side of that Rainbow Bridge!
