Wednesday, July 18, 2012

the research is in, sort of

more on happiness (our itchy old puppy)... rather than retype everything i just sent to jackson, i will cut and past it below... in the process, i learned how to sent a text via email from my phone and also learned how to create and send an email from my phone while pasting text copied text from a text... yay for learning... yeah, i know, it is amazing how much simple stuff i have never explored in spite of my relatively advanced techie experience and education... there are probably eleven year olds more knowledgeable than i am on most tech, alas, i am becoming a dinosaur...

anyway, the below follows up on info included in the previous two posts about happiness having a very itchy night, enough to wake me with the noise of his scratching, panting, moaning, whining, and jingling collar... and so i did research and here is the research on doggie itching...

Now that I am up he seems to be at it nonstop. Ears and groin and tail and butt primarily but mostly everywhere. This is what I found in my research. These reasons are listed most often.

MOST SKIN PROBLEMS ARE NOT EMERGENCIES (just thought I would start with that lol :)

Anxiety is one of the six which could explain why it is much worse the first night you are away. (It has been but I just have not noticed as much or told you details cuz it always got better the second night).

Allergies to food or mold or something else. Not enough fatty acid in diet can be a cause. Also wheat and other foods. Ears rump back of legs and undersurface. We just had the carpet cleaned so mold or dirt is prob not it. But the residual soap could be a factor. Also pollen when the itching is seasonal.

Fleas ticks chiggers parasites. Mites can't be seen and can be in ears and butts and groin. Fleas and ticks we would prob notice so we need to inspect more closely more often. He may have flea allergy as it is red pimple-like bumps on the base of tail back of rear legs and inner thighs that continues after fleas are dead. Mites lead to manger and he doesn't show signal of that.

Dermatitis can come from his peeing on his paws and then spread by scratching. Must check between paws. Around his penis could be dermatitis.

Yeast infection could be in ears.

Folliculitis is a bacterial infection and the groin area and looks like the photo of it sometimes when he licks too much.

Color changes can be a sign of hormone issues.

Lupus can cause skin disorders and kidney problems. Doubt he has it but something for the vet to test for.

Anal sac disease. The sacs release a foul-smelling substance. The sacs can be removed, but that's expensive surgery last resort stuff.

Ok, so that gives you a good start for the next vet appt . No worries about anything serious. He is just very uncomfortable.

Good morning :)

Further research tells me that he definitely has full anal glands and does not empty them himself routinely due to age and diet. This is likely causing some if the itching and also the smells. It is recommended that the glands be expressed monthly. The instructions on the web are straight forward but probably better if the vet shows us. Many groomers do it as a routine part of dog grooming. Often it is done prior to a bath as the stuff is powerfully bad smelling worse than poop and will longer on carpets and hands and clothing and the dogs butt. Some products for freshening are recommended. Full anal glands can lead to skin itching.

Again nothing serious. Just part if grooming an old dog. If I found anything serious concerning or stressful I would have waited until you got home :)

Puppy needs help releasing the stink stuff regularly :)


and then i found Tepezcohuite which is the Mimosa tenuiflora plant which i used to love as a little kid cuz it reacted when you touched it and it's supposed to be great for skin problems for people and for dogs so it's time to get some... it comes in cream and lotion and shampoo and soap and capsules that can be taken orally and it is non-toxic to people and pets, at least that is what the internet said (via webmd and petmd and a few other websites)...

ok, so there's a whole lot of knowledge... gonna get some of that stuff and use it and maybe we'll start sleeping better soon :)

good morning :)

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