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Herschel here. Remi told me that I needed to share the results of my annual check up with you guys. Most important I got to go to the new vet office. Dr. Daphne left the other practice and opened her own office. I could tell that the GHL made a good decision to follow her when I saw that the two best vet assistants and the nicest receptionist had left with her. Anyway I finally got the allergy report from the blood that I gave the other office the last DEC The GHL had called and requested that my records be faxed over especially the results of my blood work! Well....apparently sometimes these test don't tell much but apparently mine said alot about what I am allergic to. CATs for one. Yes, Eddie and Gus thought that was funny also. Oh, and house dust. Listen folks, I am a goner if my itchy ears depend on a clean house, gulp. There were numerous tree pollens and fungi and even yeast. Now I know why those yeasty feet itch so much extra. The main one that the GHL can actually do something about has to do with "storage mites" It means that I am allergic to the microscopic mites that get into dry dog food when it is stored. Dr. Daphne told me to be sure that the GHL washes and carefully dries any containers that hold my food between food purchases.

Dr. Daphne also recommended that I have a blood panel done because the GHL told her that I had sort of slowed down recently and they wanted to be sure that at 10 years old that I wasn't having anything serious starting. Good thing we did that, all my blood levels were normal except my thyroid. So they started me on some thyroid pills and I have to go back and give them some more blood to test in about 3-4 weeks to see if that will straighten the levels out. I think I might have a little more energy already but unfortunately it is still too hot for me to get to go out and try some activities. I am also looking into some suppliments to take for my joints so that I can keep my jumping in the water skills. So that is my report.

Oh, they can make up a serum for allergy shots if I want to spend about $175. That is what each batch of serum costs but I don't remember how many injections that lasts So.....who knew that tubes of blood could tell so much. But I'm still not a big fan of giving them my blood, those needles bite

Herschel, buddy, ole' pal of mine.....the only other "God's creature" I know who has as much allergies as you is Mommy-Dog's 2nd sister, Ellie.... But it sounds like your favorite Vet has a plan for you.....Maybe that's my problem, too, when it comes to the "storage mites" on the dry food....will have to talk to the hoomans here about that and find something that works for me......I don't like them biting shots either But do hope the pills for the thyroid do the trick for ya'.... Keep me posted on your progress....am looking forward to many more swimming outings with ya', Pal.....

Your friend,
Spinner

Thanks a lot Herschel! NOT! Thanks to your allergy report, mom says I need to do that! Now I have to go get stuck with one of those biting needles and it's all your fault! So what if I itch a little and mom calls me wheezer, what's the big deal??? I have half a mind to bite you on the butt next time I see you....'cept mom would just hang me by my collar til I quit errrring. A gal just can't win around here.

Errrr's to you,
The Chewmonster
aka Cujo

Dear Herschel, Sorry you had to go to the vet but we hope the thyroid pills work for you. We know a dog who had itchy ears & skin and starting her on thyroid pills really made a difference so maybe you won't need to worry about Eddie and Gus and the dust stuff. Feel better soon!
XOXOX
Your friends
Charley, Andy & Winnie

Sophie here. Darn I typed a post and it just went poof so I'll start again. I know what you mean about itchy paws and ears. My vet keeps giving me antibiotics and predisone and it helps for a while. He has also made mommy buy totally grain free food which I really like altho mom says it a lot more expensive. Also my new home doesn't have grass (yet) and that's another possible itch factor. Hang in there my friend.

Buddy here. I'm a LUCKY dog, nothing seems to bother me and I do just fine on any dogfood. Sophie and I are really liking our new home. It has a fenced yard that we can roam around in without a leash and there's a thing called a mailman that comes by every day so we can bark at him/her. Stay cool bro.

Hershel..Breezie here. I hear your pain with Dr visits but glad there are some things that can be done for your allerlgies. I am a Brussel's Griffon that had to go in for my yearly check last week. Now i am so sorry that I scratched so much. Dr J told the one who cares for me that the best way to treat my allergies is to give me an oameal bath once a week. To make things worse she has to leave the shampoo on for 10 minutes. , To say the least I don't act very grown up when I have to get my bath. Then to make things even worse he found a yeast infection in my left ear. i get that washed out once a day and have to get onitment applied twice a day . At least the pill I have to take for my allergies gets rolled into a cheese ball so I scarf it down without even knowing what I am doing!!! Oh! Wait!..is she saying, "Here Breezie, come get you cheese ball!" Gottta go. Bye

Herschel, Timmy and I agree that cats can be....ummm....irritating. Sounds like you're doing pretty well for 10 though. I'm 8 and pipsqueak Timmy is only 1. He keeps trying to make me run around when I just want to take a nap.

Sounds like you have an awesome vet and GHL who take good care of you.

Jessica (the rescue dog with issues)

RitaMc wrote:Hershel..Breezie here. I hear your pain with Dr visits but glad there are some things that can be done for your allerlgies. I am a Brussel's Griffon that had to go in for my yearly check last week. Now i am so sorry that I scratched so much. Dr J told the one who cares for me that the best way to treat my allergies is to give me an oameal bath once a week. To make things worse she has to leave the shampoo on for 10 minutes. , To say the least I don't act very grown up when I have to get my bath. Then to make things even worse he found a yeast infection in my left ear. i get that washed out once a day and have to get onitment applied twice a day . At least the pill I have to take for my allergies gets rolled into a cheese ball so I scarf it down without even knowing what I am doing!!! Oh! Wait!..is she saying, "Here Breezie, come get you cheese ball!" Gottta go. Bye

I hear your pain Breezie! I get the bath once a week and the let it stay on for the 20 min BS, then back in the sink to get rinsed off, too! I'm not very grown up about it either, but I've found out it's a lot quicker if I just stand there and take it. Love that pill, tho, mom rolls it in some kind of good tasting stuff that she uses to train (and isn't that an oxymoron! Like she really believes she can train me! ) me with. I get the pill twice a day and sometimes if I act really itchy 3 times a day. Pretty cool!

errrrrs to you,
Chewy

I understand that standing around for 10 or 20 minutes waiting for some shampoo treatment is not fun. I haven't had to undergo that but the princess dog, Miss Blondie has. When we got home from our travel adventures, the GHL discovered that Blondie's hot spots had cleared up because the Pottery man in the recliner had treated her neck consistently but apparently he hadn't looked to closely for the last week or so because Blondie was growing a large ugly patch of black scaly looking skin fungi on her neck, ears and starting on her head. So out came the clippers again and into the tub went the princess where she had to stand around with her Malasab shampoo for 10 minutes. Between the shampoo and the Malasab spray her coat is beginning to look like an Orange Roan again....

I guess I'm going to quit complaining to my Mom about my vet visits here. I know she has to take me back in the fall before we leave, but I think (unless she isn't telling me something) it's just for my (gulp) rabies shot and to get a new prescription for those yucky ticks and fleas that I seem to attract. At least the new (according to Mom, very expensive) stuff I get (and why do I fight that squeeze of stuff on my back? I actually like it) is working. I still attract them but they don't live. And Mom isn't letting me walk and hike where we both like to go (in the trees and away from civilization) because of ALL the ticks I was attracting. I even saw some jumping around trying to get on Mom's feet.

Herschel, so sorry you have so many allergies. I know that I itch, but I enjoy rolling around in the grass so much, that it makes scratching my itches fun. I did it in the rain yesterday (boy that rain felt good - Mom and I got SOAKED) and then I came home and shook and shook. Mom doesn't understand why I continue to do that inside standing right next to her after she's dried off. It's fun and she should understand that. You take care, Herschel. You have lots and lots of years left in you!

Love,
Peaches

Peaches, mom wants to know what kind of stuff she's using on you since we're headed to where those itchy nasty bugs are? Errrrrs, Chewy

Herschel, we are glad to hear that you have medicine to treat your itchies. Hope it works soon.

Our hooman is constantly requesting that we hunt down those pesky dust bunnies. She says that since we are so good at catching mice and squirrels, that we should go after the dust bunnies. Maybe if you get Remi and the Princess to hunt them down, your ears will feel better. With your allergies, you shouldn't get too close to them. (plus this action will save the GHL from pulling out that noisy, vibrating machine that has us running for cover.)

Take care Herschel.

Your friends,
Cooper, Ozzy and Trent

Remi here, I am not to optimistic regarding Blondie cooperating with any cleaning efforts....she consistently reminds Herschel and I that her job is to look "Beeutiful" and to get the Man in the Recliner to drive her to see her friend Steve at the drive through coffee window so he has the wonderful chance to give her one of his dog bones..... she will also go shopping to Bass Pro, has attended some pottery open house and likes "drives" to check out the river...... but I don't see her adding "cleaning" to her resume.....thus, we refer to her as the princess....... But Stuart came home yesterday so maybe we can convince him to take all his coat feathers and side around the corners of the room after being sprayed gently with Endust!

sharon wrote:Peaches, mom wants to know what kind of stuff she's using on you since we're headed to where those itchy nasty bugs are? Errrrrs, Chewy

Wow, that was scary. I had to ask Mom to go look at the package and tell me what it said. I'm not so good at reading yet. She reads to me, though. Anyway, she didn't try to put more on me - did exactly what I asked. She's using Vectra 3D on me now. The vet said she probably could have changed to anything, but the critters eventually get used to some of them OR it could be like people with antibiotics they take too much. Who knows - all I know is it's nice to be flea free. Well, Mom thinks it's super nice.

Peaches

Thanks Peachy Poo....that's what mom uses, so I guess we're good to go...That's IF her BF will come and get those 2 PITA'S we've had staying here for a week! NOW she said my big sister is coming to stay for the weekend...will this insanity of having other dogs here never stop??? Are we EVER gonna get out of here???? Mom say's stay tuned for more updates.