It’s commonly known that Grady has been suffering from allergies for most of the summer.  I did my research and my shopping and cooked up my potions until I found one that worked to prevent the awful Staph infections he has suffered from in the past.  I’ve been feeling quite pleased with myself – we’ve made it through the summer without needing a single visit to the vet, not one steroid or antibiotic.  But there’s been one nagging question:  why does he keep licking?  His skin looked fine – maybe just anxiety from our move and the resulting upheaval in pack dynamics?  Fleas?  Food allergies?  Nothing seemed to fit and nothing relieved the itching and licking – bad enough, but never quite that bad as to warrant a visit to the vet.  A couple of weeks ago, I started to notice that Grady was becoming a little greaseball.  At first, I blamed myself for slacking off on our weekly bathing ritual.  Then the wheels FINALLY started to roll in my rusty brain.  I recalled back to late last summer, during one of Grady’s numerous vet visits, when he was diagnosed with a yeast infection.  At the time, he had Staph, yeast, hot spots, sores, bald spots – you name it!  I had no idea what a yeast infection on its own looked like.  But it popped into my head and so I started hunting around online for some information on yeast infections in dogs.  It didn’t take long to confirm my suspicions.  I immediately booked Grady in for an exam, where he was prescribed anti-fungal medication to combat the infection.  So why did I choose this for my Thankful Thursday topic of the week?  Mostly because I am so glad that Grady is finally feeling better.  I got my dog back after such a long time that I forgot what I’d been missing (2 days after he started his meds, I came home to find that he’d helped to shred the bag of styrofoam that was ready to go to recycling).  I’m also thankful that I learned something new about Grady’s predisposition to skin afflictions.  Maybe next time I’ll catch it a lot sooner and spare us all the extended suffering.

I’d like to take a few minutes to talk about yeast infections in dogs and what to look for, in case you might be having a similar problem.  Last summer, Grady went to 4 different vets for treatment before yeast was diagnosed.  If you have a dog with allergies, or any type of skin condition, please consider having him checked for a yeast infection.  Yeast often piggybacks on other infections and the use of antibiotics to combat bacterial infections can allow the yeast to take hold.  Once you get the original infection cleared up, the symptoms return rapidly as the yeast proliferates.  So what should you look for?

• Excessive itching or licking, can be anywhere but often ears, lips, genitals, inner thighs, and between toes are affected
• Greasy hair and skin
• Stinky dog smell
• Discharge from ears
• Gas/bloating
• Joint pain

It is important to note that there may be no obvious skin lesions present.  Grady’s skin looked healthy and normal, even despite the scratching and licking.  If you notice excessive itchiness, take your dog in for a checkup.  Yeast can be diagnosed quickly and easily and your pooch can be on the mend before you know it.  If you’d like further reading on the topic, check out the following links:  Patterson and Frank article, Brooks article

Happy Thursday to all and please visit these other sites that frequently participate in Thankful Thursday:

Akal Ranch, Enlightened Horsemanship Through Touch, and Tired Dog Ranch.

Sunday morning found Grady and I at an area dog park enjoying the morning. Here are some of his favorite games:

Refereeing Water Sports

Look, I make the rules here!

Preventing Frou-Frou Dogs From Messing up their Hair

I don't think your stylist would approve of you entering this water!

Play With Me or I Will Deafen You By Barking Loudly in Your Left Ear for an Extended Period of Time!

Are you listening? I said, DO YOU WANT TO PLAY?

Who Can Swim the Longest without Drowning? (Played exclusively with Labrador Retrievers)

Let's see what you're made of, tough guy!

Bella Bonus of the Week:

I got a surprise shot of Bella lovin’ on her new catnip banana!  She has gone completely nuts over this thing and rarely puts it down.  I finally got a good shot to post!

Caught in the act!

Umm....Are you sure you should be doing that?

You got it!  Grady, up to his armpits in Emma’s trash that he had so carefully removed and spread around the yard (so sorry Emma!!).  The worst part is this was the second time that week that he had done this.  The first time, I blamed the neighborhood dogs because my sweet Grady doesn’t do bad things like this anymore!  Yeah.  Right.  Well, I caught him red-handed.  So what did I do?  I snuck over to him on Tiny (yes, my dog was so immersed in the joys of last night’s dinner that he didn’t even notice the giant horse approaching him!), screamed at him (so sorry neighbors!!), and chased his butt back to the barn where he promptly got tied up.  And I got to clean up trash for the second time in a week. 

Fortunately for me, I haven’t seen SlobberDog since, and I’m OK with that.  I was kind of growing fond of the good Grady.  But I’m sure that naughty boy will be back….it’s just a matter of time.

THIS is my sweet dog!

Many of you have met Grady before and know what a charming little goober-flinger he is.  Bet you didn’t also know he’s a personal friend of the Easter Bunny (thanks to the Tampa Humane Society for the photo!) and a certified therapy dog!  The photo on the top right is Grady and I at Give Kids the World Village not long after his certification was completed.  Grady LOVES children and this venue gave him a great opportunity to mingle with tons of kids and their families.  It’s a lot of fun and for a great cause.  Every weekend the Village (which is a resort style complex that is a fantasyland for terminally ill children) hosts a street party in the square with dancing, music, and food.  Children sing and dance and forget their troubles for a short while and it’s great fun for everyone involved.  The bottom photo is Grady getting his butt whooped by his sister, Bella Dog.  She doesn’t live with us anymore, but she may turn up now and again around these parts! 

Milo is definitely the more photogenic of my two cats.  I have tons of photos of him in goofy positions or doing strange things.  You never know quite what you’ll find with him.  In fact the photos of him wrapped up in the sheet were just taken this morning as I watched him flopping around in there trying to free himself.  As you can see, Grady was not particularly amused.  The bottom left photo is Milo as a kitten rubbing noses with my old Neo, Otis.  When I got the kittens, Otis was elderly and infirm.  He didn’t get around well and he served as an excellent jungle gym for baby Milo and Bella.  This photo is one of my favorites of the two of them together. 

I had a lot more trouble finding good photos of Bella.  She’s so independent and low-key that she tends to fly under the radar a bit more than the others.  I’m hoping that changes now that we’ve moved.  I have been so pleasantly surprised with how she’s dealt with it – nothing at all how I expected her to!  She’s willingly given up her freedom (they were indoor/outdoor cats prior) and now languishes in her various spots around our tiny little apartment.  Her favorite place is curled up on the cable box or my lap.  I’ll be sure to get more photos of Bella for future Zoo editions. 

And now…just in case you’re not yet convinced of my insanity, check out the former zoo in its entirety.  Before the four of us moved in July, we lived with a total of 6 cats, 2 dogs, 1 horse, and an occasional visitor of some variety (whatever creature came to visit via the cat door, or needed rehab for some ailment).  I know it seems crazy to have so many animals in one house (and yes, it felt crazy sometimes!) but I love each and every one of those guys and I miss them dearly.  Check out a somewhat common kitchen view:

From left: Bubba, Frankie, Milo, Minge, Bella Cat, Bella Dog, and Grady. Tiglet is AWOL.

1.  He spends an eternity searching for just the right spot of grass to pee on….

Looking for a place to pee; Still looking; STILL looking...

(15 minutes elapse….)

….then overshoots it by about 2 feet and ends up peeing all over the sidewalk, himself, and whatever else is in his way.

THIS is the spot he chooses?!?!?!

2.  Although he doesn’t bark much, when he does it is frequently directed at inanimate objects, including trees, walls, or trash cans.

3.  He is a firm believer that it is better to walk through something than around it.  He has attempted this with walls, car doors, poles, and me, among other things.  To my knowledge he has not yet succeeded.

4.  Need I say more?

Courtesy of Teena Patel/University of Doglando

5.  He often scratches his ear so violently that he makes himself yelp in pain.  And then continues doing it.

6.  He has the ability to tune everything out around him.  My favorite example?  He was sniffing around the backyard and I was calling for him to come for about five minutes with no response.  I walked out to him, calling his name the whole way, and when I touched his back I swear he jumped a foot in the air.  And I’m pretty sure he even looked in my direction as I was heading toward him. 

Sometimes I think I need to give him an IQ test.   Then I think I’m better off not knowing.

UPDATE!!!

I now have a #7 to add to the list as my Wonder Dog amazed even me last night!  Unfortunately, no photos yet although I hope to recreate the scene and add some later…

7.  As we were going for a walk yesterday, Grady had a full on meltdown at the turtle shaped boot cleaner thingy at someone’s front door.  I probably looked like a crazy person laughing hysterically at my 100 + lb dog alternately staring down and running from the inanimate object parked in the breezeway.  Hackles up, he would approach ready for battle only to spook at some imaginary movement on the “turtle’s” part, at which point he would jump a foot in the air and scurry backwards.  Like I said, he’s special……

Clockwise from top left: Closeup of the raw, pus filled sores on his legs; Grady's rear leg; Severely affected in groin area; Looking spotty and miserable.

This summer I was ready when the itching started.  I had thoroughly researched my options and chose to try herbs to relieve Grady’s symptoms.  I used several resources to learn about herbs, including herb shoppes and reliable websites.  However, the best resource I used was a book titled All You Ever Wanted to Know About Herbs for Pets by Mary L. Wulff-Tilford and Gregory L. Tilford.  This book has become my herbal bible and I highly recommend adding it to your bookshelf.

The recipes I used for Grady over the past month have worked amazingly well and thankfully I took some photos to document the remarkable improvement.  Grady suffered from hives and hot spots over his entire body and had severe itching.  Within a week of using the herbal rinses, the skin dried out and the infection cleared up.  Within a week of using the herbs orally, the hives were gone and the itching relieved a great deal.  The only additional medication he received was a prescription antihistamine when he first got the hives.  Initially, it did provide some relief but I soon discontinued it when it stopped helping him.  I attribute the dramatic improvement in his condition to the herbs, because he has been off the antihistamines for over a month now. 

Grady after one week of treatment with herbs

It is important to do your research when using herbs for medical purposes.  While they are natural, they can be overused or misused like any other remedy.  In addition, some animals may have conditions that preclude them from using a specific herb.  Please research your information well and understand what you are giving your animal and the potential side effects.  With that being said, herbs are a fantastic alternative to traditional medicines:  they are generally cheaper and safer than their counterparts and offer an alternative when prescriptions just don’t work.

Grady’s treatment consisted of the following:

• Weekly bath with Tropiclean Neem Shampoo.  This product is amazing and really helps to alleviate his itching.  It provides a deep clean and really eliminates his greasy skin.  Neem oil is traditionally used in India to treat skin conditions and may help to repel fleas as well.
• 1 tsp ground Burdock powder in food once daily.  My research indicated that this herb provides best results when given in large doses, but I always introduce new food additives gradually to prevent stomach upset.  The small dose helped him, so I didn’t increase it.  Burdock is known for treating several skin conditions and for cleansing the liver.  I chose this herb for oral use because it was recommended as a treatment for hives. 
• Poultice made from green clay with 10 drops Echinacea and 10 drops Oregon Grape, mixed with water to desired consistency.  This was smeared on the worst abrasions and really soothed and healed the skin.  Warning!  This can be messy!
• Herbal skin rinse, doused after bathing and sprayed onto affected areas multiple times daily.  Recipe is as follows:

Herbs were added to a tea infuser and steeped for 15+ minutes.

1 part Calendula

1 part Comfrey

1 part Yarrow

1 part Peppermint

1 part Sage

1 part Juniper Berries (optional)** See preparation instructions below.

Combine herbs (I used 1 tsp = 1 part) and infuse in approximately 10 oz. boiling water in a tea infuser.  I let the herbs steep for at least 15 minutes before straining and I used the same herbs to steep twice.  Let cool before using and store refrigerated.

**Juniper berries must be decocted before use.  These are prepared separately by simmering the berries for approximately 20 minutes over low heat.  The resulting liquid is strained, diluted by 50%, and stored refrigerated.  I added a volume of this equivalent to approximately 1/5 of total volume to the infused tea.

I chose this series of herbs for my rinse for specific reasons.  Calendula is an antibacterial/antifungal and soothes irritated skin.  Comfrey is somewhat of a miracle worker in treating skin conditions and speeds the healing process.  It is also an anti-inflammatory and analgesic.  Yarrow is a pain and itch reliever and is good for treating allergies.  Peppermint soothes the skin and relieves itching.   Sage is a strong antibacterial/antifungal that is widely effective.  Juniper is a strong antiseptic and astringent and I used this when Grady’s skin was most severely affected, then discontinued it. 

From top left: Juniper berries; Peppermint, Sage, Juniper berries, Yarrow, Comfrey; Comfrey; Calendula; Sage

While this combination of herbs did not entirely alleviate the itching, Grady was much more comfortable after being treated with the spray.  The raw skin and sores were literally healing overnight but the ongoing battle was preventing him from scratching new ones.  When the oral Burdock was added, the combination worked well to resolve the problem.  Incidentally, I sprayed the herbal rinse on myself several times after being bitten by mosquitos and it did relieve the itching and reduce the swelling very rapidly.

Tiny is doing pretty well so far this summer (touch wood) so I have not yet had the opportunity to try this rinse on her wounds.  Hopefully it works as well for her!  I’ll keep you all posted when I get the chance to try it.

Yeah, yeah.  I know Grady is not a horse, nor does he provide tips, tricks, or tales about horses.  But in my house, he IS an honorary horse because he’s as big as a pony.  And because I share my life with him, he will occasionally appear on these pages.  I’m as much a dog lover as a horse lover, and in my experience horse owners often share their homes with dogs. 

Grady is not a typical “horse show dog.”  He’s not small, cute, or particularly horse savvy.  In fact, he’s pretty much the opposite of all of those things.  In spite of this, he still managed to capture my heart and at the few horse shows he’s been to he’s done exceptionally well.  For a mastiff, which lowers the bar quite a bit from, say, a Lab or a Corgi. 

Let’s face it – Grady is NOT going to be sneaking into a hotel room (not that I would condone such a thing, but it has been known to happen in desperate times in the past).  And horse shows = summer time = major mastiff slobber.  Not for most people, even the dusty horse lovin’ kind. 

Anyway, the point is that I hope to share some tips and tales I’ve gained during my time with Grady in addition to my horsey news.  Maybe you’ll find him as entertaining as I do.  =)