It’s Not As Bad As It Looks

Life With a Prolapsed Urethra

On 07/20 I looked like this:  

On 08/13 I looked like this: 

Not much difference, but still no bleeding or any other kind of  urinary tract inconvenience and the bone is not protruding.  I see my vet next week.  Stay tuned.

“And there came to be evening and there came to be morning…”

That's life today.

On The Road Again!

VAREIGATED RED APPLE

I don’t have a dense coat. Many of you already know that. You can see through my coat to my spotted skin. And I was shedding. A lot! Why? Allergies.

This past spring here in SoCal was like no other for us dogs. Allergies hit us all pretty hard down here.You already know about my allergic reaction to succulent jade.  When I used to get into this, which is commonly used as ground cover in these parts, I’d get interdigital cysts.

In April, I had a particularly hard time with biting red ants. Turns out, I’m allergic to ant venom.

I’m three years old and in July, I got my first hot spot. Ever! On my face! My allergies affect my skin. Vets call it atopic dermatitis. I get itchy behind my ears. And I get a recurring rash around my pie hole and I start to scoot. I get my anus expressed, but that didn’t stop the scooting. My Riverside vet prescribed Gentocin and She’d sprayed it on as if my life depended on it. It seemed to help some, only the redness and irritation would keep comin’ back once I stopped gettin’ sprayed.

How fortuitous there happened to be an animal hospital only a mile away from TERI Inc., The Learning Academy where I work as the designated Triple A Reader dog through my foundation, ThatOneWORD.

We did not expect the level of care and attention we received there and what so far (paws crossed) appears to be a real solution to an ongoing and recurring problem.

The DVM takin’ care’a me is Dr. Sweitzer.  He is very thorough. When you Google the word “thorough,” Dr. Sweitzer’s image must surly loom forward. His consultations are lengthy and chock full of information and options.

 

I first visited Mission Animal and Bird Hospital because I had a big red something on my man member. Dr. Sweitzer consulted with a colleague and came back with the diagnosis:  A Prolapsed Urethra.

He discussed with Her several approaches. Surgery, naturally, was one. I already have had two surgeries: for my corneal ulcer and TPLO surgery, both in 2009 so needless to say, She wasn’t too keen on that option.

So he prescribed Panolog Cream, Nystatin-Neomycin Sulfate-Thisostrepton-Triamcinolone Acetonide, (whah–whaah) and we settled on the benign wait-and-see approach. I’m not uncomfortable, I’m not inconvenienced, the red bulb on my “man member” appears to have shrunk some, so the waiting and seeing continues. MANLUB!

Dr. Sweitzer suggested my recurring butt rash may be helped surgically–  with something like a bully butt lift, to remove or tighten the deep skin folds under my tight tail. She dismissed that suggestion out of hand. Next!

Then he determined my butt scooting, hot spots, pink skin and minute scaliness may be allergic dermatitis.  She did not want to go through months of food trials to determine what protein I may or may not be allergic to. I work. We are just too busy fur all that.  So he prescribed Atopica.

I’ve been taking Atopica now since 8/14 and so far so good. No more scooting. No more hot spot. No foot licking and gummy yeast under my nose fold. And the best part: No food trials. And I only have to take it once a day! Thanks, Dr. Sweitzer!  Thanks Mission Animal and Bird.  In Oceanside, CA.

Atopica is expensive, so shop fur it online and compare prices. If you are having similar experiences, then I hope you get something useful from hearing about mine.

Healthy road again

I may be on the Healthy road again

My butt’s not itchy and my skin’s not pink or red

I may be back on a healthy road again

“And there came to be evening and there came to be morning…”

That's life today!