Tuesday, November 17, 2009

When Odd Isn’t Really Odd?

Yesterday John and I took Ike to the vet. We opted to have a super chem. done since he doesn’t appear to be displaying any typical TBD signs. Ike has lost a pound since his annual in April. I cannot seem to get his weight right. If I feed him 3 ounces daily he gets fat (IMO) – if I cut it back he gets too skinny. I actually think he is just about perfect at the moment but was shocked he had lost a pound.

Regarding the tick bite reaction, my homeopathic vet said “The picture shows a classic cutaneous inflammatory response to any tick bite or similar trauma.” He recommended an immune stimulant supplement. I started Ike on Standard Process Immune Support (which I happen to have). We are speaking today and I will ask him if that is adequate or if he really feels I need the one he recommended, Xymogen IgG 2000 DF, and what the difference is if yes.

Part of the reason I freaked about the tick bite is Ike has been acting odd lately – at least for him. That and the fact that he has never-ever had a skin response like that. For the past two weeks he has been VERY needy, running hot (i.e. panting lots), selecting really unusual spots to rest in (at least for him), jumping the 24” baby gate (and yesterday the 28” gate). If I am in the bathroom he scratches like a maniac to get in and once he is in he lays down on the bathmat. The only time he has done anything similar is if I am training Bug and he wants to get into the room and then he certainly doesn’t lay down!

The only thing I can think of is we recently gave him a new remedy (sulphur). I will be really curious to hear what Dr. F thinks when I speak to him today.

Yesterday I said to John, "Well, we think he is acting odd but are the behaviors themselves really that odd? They’re only odd for Ike." So maybe the remedy triggered something and this is just giving us more info. I find his reactivity has decreased in my opinion. Very interesting!

1 comment:

Sara said...

Sometimes the only way we can tell something is wrong with our dogs is by noticing the small changes in them. So, I think it is good that you are being extra cautious. The more info you give the doctors, the easier it is for them.

I guess it pays to be obsessive about our dogs :)

Hope Ike's chem. panel comes back with good news.