grey goldendoodle sitting in back seat of a car

Tucker came to our farm when he was three years old.  A full grown standard Goldendoodle who we often called the Grey Ghost because one minute he would be walking beside you and the next instant he was off and chasing the cats, or something else that lived on the farm.  He was raised by an older couple who became concerned that they would not be able to handle his seizures.  Tucker had his first seizure exactly one week following his first immunizations, and then continued to have them at random intervals.  I told them when I met Tucker that seizures wouldn’t bother me because I had been an ICU nurse in my former life.  After having Tucker at our home for 5months I realized that I had lied to myself. When you love a pet, it is hard to watch them go through the seizures even though they don’t really know or understand what is happening to them.  Tucker loved living on the farm and being able to run in the pastures or fields.. such a change ..from his former city life and small backyard.  Unfortunately, Tucker’s seizures began to increase in number and intensity, until with the help of our vet, it was decided to put him on phenobarb.. which kept things in check for a while.  Tucker was such a gentle giant, he had been trained as a companion dog so he could go into nursing homes, and the people loved to pet him because he was so gentle inspite of his size.  I began to be able to predict when the seizures would come by his change in behavior.  The grandchildren all loved him too, but one day 4 days before his 7th birthday, the seizures started early in the morning, and when one stopped another one would start… we ended up at the Emergency Vet Clinic in Tualatin, and the vets there did everything that they could to stop the seizures, but it wasn’t meant to be.. so the phone call came at 2am, and I told them that I would come and then they could administer the medication.  And so at 3am, I held my beloved Tucker for the last time as he was released from the body that held him here.  I am a believer in Jesus, and I know that I will see that beautiful boy again.. when I cross over Rainbow Bridge and he will spot me coming and run to meet me!  I still miss him to this day.   Jeanne Eyman