Allergy alert!

This morning I'm bleary-eyed after a night of poor Chica thrashing around in great discomfort. She was behaving as though she had been skunked: rubbing her face on the carpet, running back & forth, licking her paws, whining, panting, etc. She exhibited a rash on her tummy and in between her toes, which I slathered with Polysporin, but it didn't help.

She stuck it out until 5:30am when she was desperate to get out and go to the park - she ran to the car and stared desperately at the door. We loaded up (poor Coco being very bewildered) and off to a very rainy park we went. I was happy to see that Chica still wanted to play and all her bio-systems were functioning normally. She was happy to rub her face in the wet grass, and she seemed to get some relief.

However, back at home she was in torment again, so before heading off to the vet I checked her symptoms online. Sure enough - classic allergic reaction symptoms. Benadryl is the recommended treatment, and fortunately I had some in the house. I gave her one tablet and within 20 minutes the symptoms had stopped and aside from being a little dopey, she's as good as new.

Chica's symptoms started right after we returned from the park, and it could be any number of things: poison ivy, bug bites, the pond water. Coco, who goes everywhere Chica does (and more) hasn't had any symptoms, so I'm inclined to think that it's a bug bite or bee sting. Poison ivy is abundant in the bush areas this year, so be aware when walking through the woods. Also, several people have reported finding ticks on their dogs after visiting the park.

All this reminded me that it's good to know some doggy First Aid, and even keep a canine First Aid kit on hand. Information on common dog injuries & health issues, plus how to make a first aid kit can be found at: http://www.thepetcenter.com/gen/faid.html or http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_FirstAid.php You may also want to carry an epi-pen, as recommended for allergic reactions by PetEducation.com: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1707&articleid=1494