Riley’s Thankful Thursday Pupdate

Well, first, I want to thank my kitty friend Brian for Brian’s Thankful Thursday.

As y’all know, we were all trying to figure out where I was going on Tuesday. Ends up it really was to a different vet, but this one only does allergies and stuff like that. Her name is Laura Wilson, and I like her. Mom Amy will tell you that I wasn’t scared going into the building, either! The place is called Lighthouse Veterinary Allergy & Dermatology.

Chia: Awww…you didn’t go to the beach without me, didja?

Riley: You can ignore the peanut gallery, folks. I do that all day long. Anyhoo, she was gentle and nice and I really liked her voice. I was so relaxed that I actually fell asleep when she left the room!
Ends up I’ve got allergies and what’s called a secondary bacterial infection from the allergies. I listened close when Doc Laura came back in and she and Mom talked. Here’s a breakdown of what I heard:

1. Doc: We could do the full allergy testing but Riley’s got a heart murmur, and we would have to check to see what level it is first because of the sedative involved. Also, we wouldn’t know for a year at the least if the allergy serum was working…and he’s a large, 12-year-old dog. (Not sure what my age and size has to do with anything, but let’s just go with it. I don’t want stuck with a bunch of needles anyway.)
2. Doc: We could ignore the Glacier Peak Holistic food sensitivity test that was done and do an elimination diet. Mom: But what protein could I feed that he hasn’t already been eating. (At that point the Doc started naming kibble type diets that had kangaroo –hmmm, wonder what kangaroo tastes like — buffalo, and all kinds of other meat.) Mom then said no, we’re sticking with raw. What else? Doc: rabbit. Mom: I don’t have a gun, and have you looked at the price of rabbit??
3. Doc: Atopica (cyclosporine capsules). Once a day. Expensive, but there’s a generic one that Riley can have after we see if it works for him. That takes 30 days. It doesn’t suppress the immune system like Apoquel and it doesn’t tell the brain to ignore the itching like Cytopoint, and it’s not a steroid.

At this point they agreed to go with option 3. I also got doxycycline hyclate (I asked Mom Amy to spell that for me) to help clear up the bacteria, and I’m still getting my special baths. But I can’t get them outside tied to the truck anymore cause it’s gettin’ a bit too chilly for that. And I also got new drops for my ears. I like getting them; Mom Amy puts them on her fingers and gently rubs the insides of my ears. It feels good.

It’s time for my post-breakfast nap, so I’m gonna get comfy with my Rainy Reindeer and my bone, and will see y’all next time.
Your friend, Riley