Now What? I Promised

 

HI Y’all,

Yesterday I left y’all with the promise to tell the results of my allergy test.

First they take a bunch of blood from one of your veins and send it away to somebody who tests it to determine what is causing your allergic reactions.  This test cannot determine what foods cause your allergies. 

My test came back with all kinds of sensitivities.  One of the main things I was allergic to is grass!

Here’s a picture of me back then in some tall grass!

Now I ask y’all, what’s a dog to do if he’s allergic to grass? It’s not as if a country boy can “curb” and I’m way too big for “pee pads”!  And it wasn’t just grass.  The list of things that I am allergic to is so long I doubt the Humans ever read beyond the “extreme sensitivity” portion. 

The vet ordered a special medicine to be made specifically for yours truly.  That was the good news.  The bad news is that it is administered in a shot!  Yes all you pups out there who hate to go to the vets!  Only my Humans get to administer the shot. 

At first it was a pretty miserable regimen.  Not only did I still have to take the Benadryl, but I got a shot every other day!  Slowly the shots tapered off to once a week.  Still on the Benadryl, I spent lots of time sleeping.

With the regular regimens of antibiotics, the allergy shots, the special food, and Benadryl my break outs started to clear out.

My Human had to make changes in my training routine too. No more “sit stay” or “down stay” practice outside on the lawn, or the concrete driveway. My Human put down a scatter rug for me to lay on while we practiced these.   It was easy to stay on the rug for the sit stay, but the down stay was more difficult.  It isn’t exactly like circling around to get comfortably arranged for a nap.  Placing my butt so that all of me would be on the scatter rug when I did the down was almost impossible.   

Then you still have the problem of my feet and legs!  There is no way I can go outside without my feet and legs getting in the grass.  Booties were discussed, but nixed for several reasons.  The main one was that all the protective booties were made with a material to which I was extremely sensitive. 

Finally “baby wipes” were adopted to clean my legs, feet and belly when I came inside.  My Human also uses them to wipe down my coat because it removes lots of the pollen that attaches to my wavy hair. 

Still, the breakouts and ear infections continued. 

Tune in tomorrow when, while we are in the waiting room in front of other dogs, their Humans and the staff, one of my vets yells at my Human.

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