Becka Has Gone To The Rainbow Bridge....

For those of you who don't know about the Rainbow Bridge, let me tell you the quick version;

There is a rainbow that forms a bridge between heaven and earth. Just at the foot of the rainbow, before you step on the bridge, there is a beautiful meadow and woods. This place always has perfect weather, and bright sunshine. When our pets die, their spirits go to this meadow. All of their hurts and pains are relieved and they romp and run and play with each other. Every once in a while, you see someone stop playing and look into the distance. They look and look and suddenly they start running to the horizon. It is because they saw you coming. They run to meet you, and together, you cross the Rainbow Bridge to Heaven....

My beautiful Becka went to the Rainbow Bridge to wait for me on Dec. 23rd.

The three weeks before had been very difficult. Becka had developed a major seizure disorder several years earlier. She was just a few weeks shy of her fourth birthday, and a few weeks shy of us breeding her, when she had her first cluster of seizures. Becka had just come off of a wonderful winning streak. She had been the top hund in the country for awhile, she had gone "Best of Opposite" at Westminster, she was beautiful, and in her prime. And now she was this trembling, shaking, seizing, mess. It was devastating.

Becka had what are called 'cluster seizures'. She would have a grand mal seizure, and before it had completely subsided, she would go into another, and another, and another. It was truly awful.

Over the next three years we had her on phenobarbitol, in ever increasing doses. She was on sodium bromide, again in ever increasing doses. She was on a medication for her thyroid, which the phenobarbitol was damaging. Everytime she had a seizure she spent four days on round the clock valium, given almost every hour, to block the cluster. From all of this, she had significant neurological damage. Her back legs didn't work as they should. Her tongue didn't work as well as it should. Drinking water became increasingly difficult.

In early December her legs and her balance started getting markedly worse. Her stomach was bloated. She had to have medication for bloat added to her regimen of drugs. I had to start cooking her plain chicken and rice. It was all she could keep in. Everyday, her symptoms got worse.

Through all of this, she never stopped trying to play with Katie, our Golden Retriever. She never stopped being loving, and wanting me to scratch behind her ears. Becka was one of those dogs with an incredibly expresive face. She had eyebrows that moved up and down with her looks. And eyes that could peer into your soul. This beautiful, loving dog was getting sicker and sicker, everyday. Her dignity was slipping away. We had to carry her up and down the stairs. Her legs just wouldn't hold her.

On the afternoon of December 23rd,we said our goodbyes to this magnificent friend, and our wonderful vet, Clair, came to our house to help Becka make her journey to the Rainbow Bridge.

Some pictures of my friend:

Becka as a 3 month old puppy, still in the ex-pen with Jake, our Aussie.

Becka as a six month old, still fitting in a large crate.

Becka taking a "Group 3" in the Hound Group at the National Dog Show

Becka lounging on the deck

Becka soaking up a few rays with 'Dusty" our cat who is now twenty years old.

Becka in the T.V. room, the consumate 'couch potato'.

Becka at the Garden

Becka enjoying a bone, just before her journey to the Rainbow Bridge