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love they shared. And what fun companions they were for each other, racing around the yard, barking and playing their little games. At night, they'd cuddle up together in their warm, roomy doghouse.

In the coldest weather, both dogs slept in the house in the back room. One night I awoke about 2:30 a.m. to frantic, loud barking and ran to the room to see what was the matter. I hadn't had time to put on my glasses, but could make out Tally jumping up and down excitedly and, Fluffy, going around in circles as if to say, "What happened?" As I looked down at the floor, something moved. Good Heavens! Could a rat have gotten into the house? Quickly, I shut the door and ran to get my glasses. What a surprise when I finally saw that the tiny object moving on the floor was not a rodent but a little puppy. Not one but three! Fluffy had just given birth! She was such a little ball of fur I didn't even know she was pregnant. Fluffy was never allowed out of the yard by herself, and way too small to jump the fence, so it's a mystery how this could have happened. Could some stray dog possibly have jumped over our high fence? We'll never know. But Tally was so happy for Fluffy, barking and jumping around like a proud, happy Mom or Grandmother. What a tender event that was.

Time slowly began to take its toll on Tally. I watched as her eyes lost some of
their brightness and an "older" look took its place. The muscles of her jaw began
to sag a bit, and a few white hairs appeared where only rust-colored ones had
been. Her beautiful coat lost some of its luster. She slept more now, preferring the sun to warm her old bones. And when she walked it was with a bit of stiffness as her leg joints became more arthritic. She lost her hearing, too. Often, she'd wander in and out of the house, searching the rooms till she found me. Then, after a pat on the head, she'd contentedly wander back outdoors to her favorite spot in the garden.

Last winter, Tally developed a urinary problem. At first, I thought it would clear up of its own accord, but when it didn't, we went to visit the kindly vet who had been her doctor through the years.

"We'll need to take some tests to be sure she may have diabetes. Leave her with us a few days and we'll give you the results," his somber tone spoke volumes.

The verdict was interstitial nephritis. A human kidney disease. Do animals actually get such diseases? Apparently, so. My heart sank at the thought of it.
"What can I expect to happen, doctor?" He told me it would

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