Meg was a wonderful, loving, friend and devoted companion. When she came into my life, she made it very clear that other dogs and people were of no interest to her. Her sole purpose was to be my wise companion and teacher. We were together for 15 years. Unfortunately, for the last 5 years of her life Meg had an assortment of health issues. Her primary problem was chronic kidney failure. She had her teeth cleaned every 6 months due to horrible periodontal issues and underwent a series of surgeries to remove fatty tumors that had surrounded her sciatic nerve. Meg also received constant antibiotic therapy to combat and control chronic diarrhea as a result of a compromised immune system.

In spite of these health issues, Meg lived quite a long life. When it came to Meg's care I was meticulous and determined to keep her with me for as long as I could. I managed Meg's health problems using all the conventional modalities available. Life without Meg was unimaginable. When I think back on Meg's last five years they were not the quality years she might have had. We spent lots of time in and out of the veterinarian's office. She had numerous surgical procedures and blood tests. Her diet consisted of expensive prescription processed food. It was emotionally and financially draining. Meg made it very clear that she wanted to leave this world as she had come, on her own terms, in her own time. On October 12, 1994, Meg climbed the staircase to heaven.

As a nurse, I understood the disease processes Meg's body was experiencing and the rational for the conventional treatments being implemented. I became more aware of the rise in diseases such as diabetes, cancer, allergies, arthritis, chronic irritable bowel syndrome, and kidney disease, that plague both people and their animal companions. Many of these disease processes are so common we have come to expect and accept the diagnosis. I knew in my heart this was wrong and that there had to be more options available to care for our animals as they aged. Prescription drugs, surgical procedures and processed foods were not the answer to a long healthy life. I had to have a better health plan for my other girls, Molly and Rosie. In 1997 I learned about the health benefits of a fresh food diet and a new journey toward health and wellness began.

When the opportunity to help others discover the benefits of a fresh food diet, presented itself, in October of 2000, the first one I thought of was my wonderful loving Meg. Had I known about this diet when Meg was with me, her last five years might have been spent chasing more squirrels and having fewer surgical procedures. Meg is always with me in spirit, cheering me on, constantly reminding me that getting the word out about the raw diet is the right thing to do. Meg sends lots of animals with their people my way. By the way, did she send you?