We Love Lucy

It's been a rather rough week for our Lucy.  She developed a "hot spot" on her cheek which spread quickly as they are wont to do.  She went in to see the veterinarian who said she is seeing lots of dogs with hot spots recently.  (Hot spots are areas of moist dermatitis.  Starting with one small area, they can spread very rapidly..)

Lucy has never had a hot spot before, although our Ellie seemed to get at least one every summer.  The veterinarian also found that Lucy has an ear infection as well, another first for her.  So she is on an antibiotic and a topically spray as well as ear drops.  Because the area is on her cheek and neck, a cone to protect her from scratching is not feasible.  So the veterinarian recommended keeping her sedated with Benadryl.  It also helps prevent the itching in addition to the sedation.  I was amazed at the high dose...75mg three times a day.  The veterinarian wrote on the instruction sheet that that was indeed the dose and not a typo.  Apparently dogs metabolize the drug differently than humans do so a dose that is excessive even for a 150 pound human is appropriate for a 60 pound dog.  The drug is definitely sedating her, but not making her dopey.  She still gets up when called and walks normally.  But she is asleep the minute she lies down again.

The only good thing going for her is that she dearly loves bread.  So three times a day she gets a little sammich (that's the way you say "sandwich" in WI) with cream cheese and pills inside.  She is so attuned to the process that the instant we get out the cheese and open the baggie with her slice of bread, she is right at your feet waiting for her treat.

This was taken several days before Lucy developed her hot spot.

She loves to rest on my husband's shoes and lie underneath the recliner.

Our heat wave continues, but at least our breezes have returned.  Rain is very spotty and seems to miss us every time.  Our little creek is really down and our trees are looking dusky in the forest.  We are watering our shrubbery on a regular basis.  Very unusual for mountain summers.  Some of the tubing and rafting vendors are not putting people on the rivers because the water levels are so low.  Recently our LOW temperatures at night have been 70.  And the swimming areas and waterfalls are flooded with people.  We've already had five deaths and two serious injuries from idiots getting swept over a waterfall.

Two quotes today seem appropriate for these days when so many are preaching isolationism:

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Make a career of humanity.
Commit yourself to the noble struggle for human rights.
You will make a greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country and a finer world to live in. 


And from Albert Schweitzer:
Seek always to do some good, somewhere.
Every man has to seek in his own way to realize his true worth.
You must give some time to your fellow man.
For remember, you don't live in a world all your own.
Your brothers are here too.

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND, EVERYONE