Vet Visits

Bella

This week my bagel---half basset/half beagle hybrid---had to visit the vet.  She has seasonal allergies and the new grass is making her go crazy.  Her usual dosage of Benedryl wasn't cutting it, and then the allergies migrated her to right eye.  It made her eye go filmy blue and it kept rolling into the back of her head and finally, she just wouldn't open her eye.  So, off to the vet it was.  Of course as usual, they had to check to see if she had fleas, because she's allergic to them as well.  And as usual, they didn't find any fleas.  Just a very badly irritated heinie and a blue, irritated second eyelid (who knew dogs had a second one?).  The vet changed her medication to Zyrtec (yup, more expensive but still OTC) and gave me a cream to squeeze into her eye twice a day.

Bella, post medication roll....and belly rubs.

I dunno about you, but putting a metal tube near my dog's eye made me nervous.  The first time or two, it was okay.  Bella didn't fight the medication and I didn't have to hold her eye open too much.  And then the medication started to help.....I think.  I don't know what to think, but suddenly she seemed to see the tube coming at her eye and would slam her eyelids shut like Fort Knox.   She didn't paw me, or pull away, she just shut her eyes as if they were super glued shut.  She still has a film across her eye, and she still lets it loll into the back of her head like a half zombie, but I think it's getting better.

Long story short, lots of dogs have allergies and the preventative---such as the flea medication she's on year round----is much easier than clearing up the aftermath of a full blown episode.  If your dog is acting uncomfortable, they probably are.  Just because they don't have words doesn't mean they don't talk.  Whining, loss of appetite, excessive sleeping, chewing at their behinds/paws/legs, or pawing at their ears/eyes are all signs of allergies.  If there is a change in your dog's behavior, please watch and see what they are trying to tell you.  After all, dogs are people too.