We took him in to see our vet, Dr. Mary, who we love. She came in with his chart and noted that we'd been in for him chewing and itching every August/September since we moved to Illinois. There was no bacteria infection. There were no fleas. And given his history, we determined that Riley is allergic to something in the air this time of year in the C-U area.
It's not a shock. I remember going to Peoria to visit Joel's buddy Ross for the first time June of 1993. I went to watch Ross in a soccer game and started sneezing. Then my nose started running. Then my eyes went all itchy. I'd gone for 17 years in Rockford, Ill., without allergies.
But something about Peoria overloaded me on histamines.
So, after I gave X-man a bath and got him to sleep tonight (by 9 p.m. woot!). I gave Riley a bath with his special anti-itch shampoo. Then I rubbed him down with his special anti-itch, leave in conditioner. Then he got a benedryl and a dietary supplement. And finally he got a milkbone and a little rawhide stick chewy.
He's still itchy. But I'm hoping it won't be as bad. I'm finding little tuffs of fur on my living room carpet that he's scratched off. Specifically, he's itchy under his armpits, across his chest, under his chin and by his penis. Tomorrow, I'll be trimming his toenails so he does less damage to his skin (it's a little raw) and continuing pilling him twice a day to try and help. He'll have to be bathed and have the anti-itch stuff put on him every two days. If only they made an Elizabethan collar that went around a dog's waist. Mmm, I wonder what would happen if I put an Elizabethan dog collar round his waist?
I'm pretty sure he'd look like a miserable ballerina.
4 comments:
My mom puts calamine lotion on her dog- the clear stuff.
It's wierd how different areas affect peopl. I've always had bad allergies everywhere, but Mike who never had any now has problems here.
Poor Riley. :(
The husband has had allergy issues since moving down here (and I'm pretty sure that's what Bubba's breathing treatments were about)...
Can I put an Elizabethan collar on the husband? And maybe a muzzle?
Have you heard about this invisible climate line that cuts across Illinois? I hadn't until I moved here. It runs from around Macomb through Peoria and Pontiac and as crazy as it sounds, there really is this kind of climate boundary.
Every time my family comes to visit, they have allergy flair-ups. My kids get them when we go back up north to visit family.
The weather pattern seems to change too. Storms that move through the area just ride this invisible line but don't really cross it.
IDK. I just stock up on allergy meds every spring and fall suffer along with everyone else. :)
Poor Riley. That dog seems to have it rough, but you're his lifesaver. Just think how miserable he'd be if he didn't have you. Such a good owner.
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