LIFE'S BETTER IN THE MOUNTAINS

Friday, July 30, 2010

Fridays are Golden

Lucy developed a "hot spot." Common in Golden Retrievers, hot spots are areas of dermatitis that can result from an insect bite or other irritants. They are more common in hot weather.

We've been fortunate that neither of our dogs has ever gotten a hot spot, but early this week we noticed Lucy continually licking an area on her right hip. Close examination revealed a quarter-sized reddened area which was warm to the touch. Because these areas can spread rapidly, my husband took her in to see our veterinarian.


The tech took Lucy back to shave the area so the extent of the redness would be visible. When she returned to the exam room, Lucy was frantic. The tech had accidentally cut the skin in two places!!! So now we were dealing with a painful open wound as well as the cellulitis.

When my husband returned home with Lucy and I saw the area I was absolutely furious. I told him I hoped he had really let them have it. I should have known better. My very wise husband reminded me that yelling would have accomplished nothing except to make the tech (who already felt terrible) feel even worse. One of his many fine traits is that he is able to accept things that cannot be undone and move on. Of course, he is absolutely right.

Now Lucy is taking prednisone and an antibiotic. She is delighted that once again, she is getting little sandwiches. Our dogs have no idea why they are suddenly given "people food" but they feel blessed with good fortune.

To give pills, I cut bread into small pieces. Then I smear the bread with Laughing Cow cheese spread.



The pill goes into the center of a piece of bread.


And folded over into a tiny sandwich. Why so many of them, you might ask? And why are three of them smaller and not folded? The answer is simple. Ellie gets a fake pill sandwich as well.


The laughing dog waits for the Laughing Cow sammich. (They are Wisconsin dogs and that's how "sandwich" is pronounced there.)



She swallows the pill sandwich and waits for more.



Somehow I think Ellie knows Lucy got more bread and cheese than she did.

Lucy's hot spot is healing nicely. I still cringe when I look at the unnecessary open areas and try to follow my dear husband's example. It's done, it was an accident and there's no use fretting about it.

Here, during this last week of July we are still unseasonably hot in the mountains. We don't have our normal cool-down at night and we are staying indoors far more than we would like. It seems that hardly anyone is having good weather and we are more fortunate than most.

Let's try to improve our impulsive attitudes. Let's all try to move forward when bad things (both big and small) happen. Let's try to think before we speak in anger and decide exactly what will be accomplished by our harsh words. Silence, like Fridays, can be golden.

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND WHEREVER YOU AND AND WHATEVER YOUR PLANS.

20 comments:

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

I always look forward to your pearls of wisdom and Friday thoughts. I love that both girls get sammiches!

How Sam Sees It said...

I know how you feel. I get really upset when our boys get unnecessarily hurt. I will have to remember the sammiches next time too!

Sam

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi Carolyn, As hard as it is for us females, sometimes it is best to keep our mouths shut... We both have very smart husbands!!!!!

Lucy will be fine --although I know that what they did was not necessary. The tech I'm sure felt really bad for what happened...

I'm sure getting those sammiches is such a treat for both doggies.... Ellie told me that she was glad that Lucy has a boo-boo!!!!!! ha

Have a great weekend.
Hugs,
Betsy

NanaNor's said...

Hi there, I love all your posts but especially Fridays. So sorry about the experience at the vets but hopefully it will heal soon. I used to coat our dogs pills in peanut butter-they loved that or put them in marshmallows.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Noreen

YD, sometimes with ♥June and ♥Angel Samantha said...

Sorry that Lucy got her boo boo but I know the girls are both so thrilled that they get to have sammiches.
My husband and I are the opposite. I would be the one who would keep quiet, knowing that it can't be undone. Hubby would be very upset and of course express his feelings.
June is my easy one to give meds to. Samantha would chew her "treat" and then spit out the pill!

D.K. Wall said...

Hoping for quick healing, Lucy. No hot spots so far this year. Our last one was 2 summers ago suffered by Rusty.

Ruth said...

Very wise advice indeed. Our dog always manages to spit the pills out of special sandwiches. We have to hold his head up so he has to swallow the concoction. He always gets skin itch in August and your post will make me look at his skin more closely.

Jayne said...

Ouch! Glad Lucy is healing up and that you were able to let go of the sadness you felt for her in getting doubly injured. No one ever intends to inflict harm, but we are all human, and indeed, sometimes it does happen. Have a wonderful weekend. ;c)

Cicero Sings said...

So sorry about Lucy. I'm sure she has already forgiven the vet tech by the look of her. Hopefully all will heal up real soon.

We are just in from a walk. Mingus got to dabble frequently in the water which helped to mitigate the heat. He doesn't like going too deep but today I hauled him out so he had to swim ... THREE times ... so that we would get wet all over! He is flaked out on the tile entry way as I type.

Mingus has never had to take pills though I dropped some homeopathic stuff down his throat when he was exposed to parvo. It didn't taste bad though so he wasn't too opposed.

Vicki Lane said...

Love the sammiches!

I know this hot weather is making me more irritable than usual!

100 Thoughts of Love said...

haha i will have to try that...my dog is on antibiotics for the second go round...and we use hot dog pieces with a slit cut in the middle...pill slipped inside...somehow i think the bread and cheese is a bit healthier!!

Sam said...

I am like you - I get very upset in a hurry when something like that happens! Unfortunately, my boyfriend does, too - at least you have your husband to neutralize you a bit!

Just kidding around. I hope Lucy's hot spot heals up soon. Those "sammiches" look good.

Busy Bee Suz said...

You are so right about the silence is golden rule.
Sorry Lucy is having issues, but knowing that she will heal is a blessing.
We give both dogs sammich's when one needs pills too.

KGMom said...

Awww,poor baby.
Good to know about goldens and hot-spots. Our new dog is REPUTED to have had a golden for mother.
Love the "sammich" idea.
I do understand your husband's approach, although I too would have been outraged.

kks said...

Love the advice!
Poor Lucy....my dogs have never had a hot spot, but I have seen plenty of them!! They can get big, fast!
Hope she heals quickly!
xoxo

KB said...

I hope that the hot spot keeps healing rapidly!

I love that Ellie gets sammichs too! We once had a dog named Astro who would take pills so easily. We'd toss the pill to him like we were tossing a milk bone. He'd snarf it out of the air. Then, he went through a very healthy phase when he needed no pills... but, believe it or not, he still wanted and expected them. So, we tossed him "invisible pills". He'd snarf the air and be happy!

I need to use your husband's wisdom too - I have one of those tempers that is non-existent until it erupts. It almost erupted at trespassers today but I managed to control it. We can all make bigger steps toward a better world with calm words rather than venom. But, I forget that lesson sometimes. Thanks to your husband for the reminder.

I hope that the girls keep enjoying those sammiches!

George said...

I hope Lucy is now much better. I like your method of getting Lucy and Ella to take their pills, even if Ella is suspicious about Lucy getting more.
Our nights are staying hot as well. What happened to our wonderful mountain weather?

troutbirder said...

Bummer. Baron get the peanut butter blob with his pills out of the palm of my hand. Glad things are better. Sammich? Oh my! I'll remember that one. And your good advice.

kenju said...

I hope she will recover quickly. That reminded me when my daughter (age 4 at the time) was in the hospital and an intern cut her arm when he was trying to remove tape from an IV. I don't know who felt worse - the intern or her.

Barb said...

Poor Lucy - I hope she heals quickly. Your husband is very wise!