Monday, November 28, 2005
Missing Mistress
Despite a baby sitter and a canine roommate, I waited at the window all day for my mistress to come home.
After being away all day, I walked Ebbey when I returned. Though with a baby sitter, she has started refusing to eat when I am gone or asleep. Plus she’s always really stressed out by the time I return and more naughty than normal. We met up with a really nice golden retriever. It was bitterly cold, but the two dogs played a bit. Though only a year apart in age, Ebbey was so eager to burn off the stress, she was down right obnoxious in her efforts to play with her new friend. Barking and running back and forth. The well behaved golden didn’t know what to make of her. It turns out the golden has very bad allergies and her health has suffered greatly because of it. This is her owner’s first dog and I felt so bad, not only because of the stress involved with a sickly pet, but the cost. Apparently the vets did not diagnose allergies for the first couple years and only medicated the symptoms. The poor dog has had several surgeries and lives on a daily regimen of steroids and a vegetarian diet. Guess I’m lucky that I quickly refused a similar type of treatment for Ebbey and went the homeopathic route. After the first round of vet’s pills and cortisone shot made no impact on Ebbey’s symptoms, I started to research her conditions. I have allergies myself and surprisingly Ebbey’s her symptoms were very close to my own. I started her on a homemade elimination diet and bathed her skin with a homemade anti itch formula. After 4 months of sleepless nights, dousing her skin and keeping her covered in old t-shirts, I finally got a couple foods she could eat - beef and brown rice. As she gradually improved, and her immune system strengthened, I would add one food a week and see if she reacted to it. Though there are only about 15 or 20 different foods she can eat with out a reaction, Ebbey is now a very healthy dog. Unfortunately, most people work away from home and are unable to deal with an allergic pet. It’s just good timing that I am making my first film and the dog is almost always with me so I can take care of her.
After being away all day, I walked Ebbey when I returned. Though with a baby sitter, she has started refusing to eat when I am gone or asleep. Plus she’s always really stressed out by the time I return and more naughty than normal. We met up with a really nice golden retriever. It was bitterly cold, but the two dogs played a bit. Though only a year apart in age, Ebbey was so eager to burn off the stress, she was down right obnoxious in her efforts to play with her new friend. Barking and running back and forth. The well behaved golden didn’t know what to make of her. It turns out the golden has very bad allergies and her health has suffered greatly because of it. This is her owner’s first dog and I felt so bad, not only because of the stress involved with a sickly pet, but the cost. Apparently the vets did not diagnose allergies for the first couple years and only medicated the symptoms. The poor dog has had several surgeries and lives on a daily regimen of steroids and a vegetarian diet. Guess I’m lucky that I quickly refused a similar type of treatment for Ebbey and went the homeopathic route. After the first round of vet’s pills and cortisone shot made no impact on Ebbey’s symptoms, I started to research her conditions. I have allergies myself and surprisingly Ebbey’s her symptoms were very close to my own. I started her on a homemade elimination diet and bathed her skin with a homemade anti itch formula. After 4 months of sleepless nights, dousing her skin and keeping her covered in old t-shirts, I finally got a couple foods she could eat - beef and brown rice. As she gradually improved, and her immune system strengthened, I would add one food a week and see if she reacted to it. Though there are only about 15 or 20 different foods she can eat with out a reaction, Ebbey is now a very healthy dog. Unfortunately, most people work away from home and are unable to deal with an allergic pet. It’s just good timing that I am making my first film and the dog is almost always with me so I can take care of her.
# posted by Allex Michael @ 12:38 AM 
