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.