Luther

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Update 09/15/2018:  “Luther left life on his own terms and is happily running free at the Rainbow Bridge.”

Sweet old Luther has crossed over the Rainbow Bridge.  When his foster mom returned from work and was letting her fosters and residents out to potty, she opened Luther’s crate as usual and went ahead to get the others out as Luther was slow getting up and out.  She came back to find he hadn’t moved; he had crossed the Bridge sometime during the day.  It was clear that Luther died peacefully as he was just curled up sleeping.

With his wonderful MAESSR foster family, Luther continued to know love and kindness and tender care in his last year of life.  Luther left life on his own terms and is happily running free at the Rainbow Bridge.

Update 07/22/2018:  “Luther is such a dear, sweet soul!”

Luther is such a dear, sweet soul!

Since his arrival at his foster home he has been the perfect houseguest. His diet was changed to an (almost) grain-free food, fed twice daily. Most Springers are what you can call chow-hounds, but Luther not so much. He enjoys his meals but will only eat so much…some meals it’s only a few bites; others he cleans the bowl. On occasion some goodies (liver, chicken gizzards) have been added to his food, with care to avoid upsetting his system. So far so good!  Luther absolutely does love working on a fresh marrow bone, something he does not walk away from!  

A joint supplement also has been added to Luther’s daily regimen. He is quite stiff due to arthritis and the way he’s built…his back legs are very straight. His foster mom says they look like they’re almost too long for his body. But, despite his stiffness, Luther does make his way around the yard and is frequently the first one to bark at anything going on outside the fence! Luther is still on a low dose of anti-seizure meds, but since being with his foster mom he’s displayed no indication of any seizures. He does have the habit of rubbing his ears, sometimes on the floor while lying down. His foster mom wonders if maybe that was mistaken for a seizure. But, his ears do need regular cleaning, something he is not fond of. Who can blame him?

Luther doesn’t mind being groomed but his foster mom takes her time with him. She gives him frequent breaks to get off the table and move around. It’s hard work being handsome!

Going into the summer, Luther’s eyes got quite goopy, then red. His foster mom had been gently cleaning them and using ophthalmic gel, but a trip to the vet resulted in some medicated drops and a future return visit to check for dry eye. His eyes are looking MUCH better. Also, Luther had been wetting the bedding in his crate, so incontinence meds are being carefully being introduced. A very low dose seems to be helping.

This sweet boy is good in the car whether it’s going to the vet or to the beach! No swimming for this guy – only wet toes – but there are lots of things to sniff and smell. He always sleeps very soundly after one of these outings!

Luther has been such a joy to his foster mom who, together with MAESSR, is giving this sweet senior boy all the love and care he deserves during his golden years.

Original: “This sweet boy is loved and living a comfortable life in his foster home. He has become a permanent MAESSR foster so that he will never have to find another home.”
 

Poor Luther was about to lose his second home. His original owner was elderly and when her health took a turn for the worse, she was unable to care for him. He was then taken in by a family in Pennsylvania, but divorce caused them to find Luther yet another home. MAESSR found out about this sweet senior boy and found him a wonderful foster home.
 
A sleepy old man, Luther keeps to himself most of the time, with the occasional nose nudge to indicate he’d like his ears scratched. He doesn’t ask for many comforts and loves to lie on blankets or thin pillows for his naps. He’s a very laid-back dog, but he lets his people know when someone new arrives at the house. He gets excited to meet new people; once he’s said hello, he’s back to his cozy spot to relax.
 
Luther does well with the other dogs in his foster home although he’s not very active. He walks well on a leash and is housetrained. Luther has a cyclical grooming schedule. He is groomed short once in the early summer and then his hair is allowed to grow out in order to keep him warm in the colder months.
 
Luther has access to his food all day until the evening. He can only eat dry food as any moist or wet food causes diarrhea. Despite eating like a champ, Luther is incredibly thin. He takes medication to control seizures. This sweet boy is loved and living a comfortable life in his foster home. He has become a permanent MAESSR foster so that he will never have to find another home.