I’m Just Itching for Trouble

Jet, my foster mom, looked at Nokona the other day (after his teeth got cozy with a few pages of her book) and said, “Young man, you’re just itching for trouble.”

Hmmm.

I think this is one of those moments where Nokona shouldn’t respond in any way because no matter what he says (or barks) he’s probably going to make it worse. (Kind of like a man who is asked by his wife, “Honey, does this dress make me look fat?” Stop! Do not pass go! Do not say anything. It’s a set-up and a no win situation.)

Nokona was itching for trouble when he decided to ‘taste’ some of Jet’s book and he paid the price for scratching his itch. In the doghouse Nokona had to go. (- Dog version of time out.)

Speaking of itching… Did you know that the two most common reasons your dog may be suffering from chronic itching are parasites (fleas, sarcoptic mange) and allergies? Humans forget that dogs can have allergies. Some symptoms of pet allergies might include scratching, foot licking, chewing, and face rubbing. The chart below is probably something you and your humans should look at together. It will teach you about what other allergy signs to look for that shouldn’t be ignored.

Believe it or not, your dog might even have food allergies. (Boy that would be a bummer.) Be sure to talk to your vet about any signs of allergies that you might see and ask what can be done to help.

By the way did you know that there are allergy drops for humans now? (They are effective just like shots but without the needles, the pain, the daily doctor visits, … you get the idea). Jet’s friends swear by the drops.

So, here’s my lesson of the day… Itching for trouble can be fun but itching because of allergies is just awful so be alert to the signs that your companion may be dealing with daily allergies and get them some relief.

Okay, here’s the question of the day from Jitters who asked: What is being done to help the critters on the U.S. coast that are being attacked by the black glob monster my dad calls oil?

Dear Jitters:

The critters are given what is called the Bath of Life. Before cleaning the critters, they are fed and treated for dehydration. The black monster is real sticky so the critters (like pelicans) are bathed in warm vegetable oil. The next step is to use a toothbrush and dishwashing liquid for hand washing the critters. It takes time – may be 45 minutes or so. The animals and birds are finally dried, banded and placed in a safe place to recuperate (word of the day).

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