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

Xena the Allergic-holic on Wordless Wednesday

Thanks to Comedy Plus 
for hosting the
Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop.

Lucy: I know you’ve got a lot to say today, but try to keep it short. It’s supposed to be Wordless.

Xena: It’s my turn for Wordless Wednesday and I’ll do what I want, Lucy. Stop bossing me around. When have you ever seen me respond to anyone telling me to be quiet? I’m a schnauzer for goodness sake. What do folks expect? Besides, I have a confession to make…

Hi, I’m Xena and I’m an allergic-holic.

In the past, I’ve taken benadryl until I became Zombie Dog. Mommy thought I’d become a boring old lady at three years old, not realizing she’d been sedating me for several months!
I’ve been tested at an allergist for dogs (you can read about that here and see the picture below).

Mommy gave me my special sea rum allergy shots from the allergist every week for two years. I didn’t mind. I always got a good treat before and after the shot. Here I want to give a shout-out to my breeder, Granny, for paying for it all!

Then, when Mommy questioned why the sea rum shots weren’t working, the allergist fired us (you can read about that here).

I’ve taken Zyrtec, and that doesn’t help much. Lavender EO doesn’t help. Sea Beady oil doesn’t help.

You might wonder why Mommy doesn’t get me “allergy” shots, which are steroids. Her first schnauzer, Freda, had allergies and the vet gave her lots of those shots. Mommy didn’t know steroid shots can cause Cushing’s Disease until Freda got it. The vet knew that could happen but didn’t say anything before giving them. Mommy says she believes in something called “informed consent.” If that’s true, I don’t know why she doesn’t ask for my consent when she informs me that I’m going to get a bath.

Then there’s the new “miracle drug” for allergies. It’s called Apoquel. My ex-allergy dogtor said to never, ever use it. Everyone loves it because it hides the allergies so well that the pup doesn’t seem to be suffering from them anymore. But like in *Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, the allergies come back with a vengeance, many times worse than before the sly Apoquel.

I’ve been on a raw diet to help keep my gut healthy ever since I adopted Mommy and Daddy. A healthy gut means I shouldn’t be an allergic-holic. More changes had to be made. Now I’m only getting organic, grass-fed meat and organic veggies and no chicken or pork, but I’m still getting organic, free-range, grain-free eggs and egg shells. Maybe I shouldn’t be…we don’t know. And now, while it’s still only February, I’ve scratched another sore place under my ear. I guess I’m just addicted to allergies…

Mommy hasn’t given up being my AA (Allergies Anonymous) group leader. We’re trying something new: tumeric paste. It’s yummy and it stains Mommy’s fingers and counter tops and sink yellow. She doesn’t care about that if it helps. I get 1/4 teaspoon spread out several times a day because it doesn’t stay in my system long. She just found out she can also put it on my ouchie under my ear. It’s safe for me, and I like it, so we’re going to give it some time to help. (I hope Lucy doesn’t lick it off my ouchie.)

While “researching” tumeric, we also found out it’s supposed to help with lots of other conditions, too.

• Can help with weight management
• Kills parasites such as fleas and ticks
• Can elevate mood and treat depression
• Relieves allergies
• Alleviate joint pain
• Remedy for diarrhea due to it being a binding agent
• Prevents cataracts
• Can help treat epilepsy
• High in fiber, vitamins, and minerals
• Clinical trial shows that curcumin helps aid in Alzheimer Disease

So we want to share this information with you. The article also tells us how to make a paste (it’s easy) and how to use it and lots more.

Live long and prosper,*
Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess, the recovering Allergic-holic

* We’ve been watching a lot of Star Trek lately.

Xena’s Woes

It’s been kind of a rough few weeks. First, in wondering if the allergy sea rum injections were really helping me, Mommy contacted the allergist’s office. Let me tell you about them. They had an office here in town that they visited once every two weeks, which was quite enough. Then the vet who owned the office and used it the rest of the time decided the space needed remodeling, so the allergist couldn’t work there any more. Then the pandemic hit and, well, let’s not go into that. So Mom would have to drive a couple of hours north or west to get me to see the allergy dogtor. She said that was ok, but wanted to talk to the dogtor first. A few months ago she got into an e-mail war with someone who was supposed to be the dogtor, but Mommy believes it was an office worker who posed as the dogtor, ’cause no professional would have been so inaccurate, repetitive, and smart-alecky as this person was in their responses. This time she decided to call and keep calling until someone answered or returned her messages, but even a bull dog has their limit of how many times they can call and leave a message with no response. She finally used their website to send a message saying she wanted to talk with my dogtor about how I was doing, as I still itch – especially in the high allergy season – and if she should stop the shots and try something else. Actually, I didn’t mind the shots. I always got two big, high value treats – one before and one after the shot. Mom finally got a reply in the form of a text. They “fired” us! They said they couldn’t help me anymore and there were several dermatologists in our area! Seriously? Can a dogtor actually fire his patient?

I got fired.

Mommy’s pretty sure the dogtor never actually saw her message, and it was the evil staff person again. But what can you do when you can’t get past the rottweiller at the gate? I guess you just turn around and go somewhere else.

In the meantime, I’ve chewed the top of my front leg raw. Now I have to wear a shirt with sleeves that Mommy made me. I still try to get under there to lick the yummy coconut oil she puts on it!

I hate wearing clothes.

If that isn’t enough, I’ve started hopping on my back right leg when we go for walks. Trot trot trot hop, trot trot trot hop. I get a pretty good rhythm going with it. So I haven’t been allowed to go on walkies with Mommy and Lucy lately. When they get ready to go, I get my treat puzzle, like I’m supposed to ignore I’m getting left behind just because there are yummy dried beef heart pieces in the…wait, don’t you want to go for a walk, Lucy? Mommy’s been looking for a doggie chiropractor but the two who helped Angel Freda and Angel Lexi have retired. I hate to admit it, but resting my leg really has helped.

But wait! There’s more! Last time I was at Dr. Karen’s for my DNA HW test, she said I had yeast around my girl parts, so Mommy took care of it with coconut oil and some essential oils. Now Mommy thinks I might be a yeastie beastie, and that might be why I’m still itchy. She has stopped feeding me my probiotic sauerkraut at night and kefir for lunch. Grrr. She said fermented stuff feeds the yeast. She’s also washing me in a natural tea tree and peppermint essential oil shampoo from 4Legger.

Shania: Hi Miss Xena. I’m allowed out when you’re in the tub ’cause I’m “safe” then. I came to visit you while you soak in your anti-yeasty shampoo.

We don’t know where yet, but there are rumors that there is a holistic vet downtown. I may be paying him (or her) a visit.

I am Xena Schnauzer Warrior Princess, aka Grruvah. (I answer to my new Hebrew name now!)