Allergy Shots

I've been getting allergy shots weekly for over three years now.  I don't like needles.  So the shots are not the most fun part of my week, but I know they are helping.

For the past year, we've been battling with Cobalt's allergies.  He's been scratching a lot.  We've taken him to the vet a couple of times for steroid shots, which stopped the itching for a couple of days.  We've given baths more frequently, using special shampoo designed to moisturize and stop the itching.  We've even given him Benadryl when it seems he couldn't stop itching.  And we've found ourselves saying "Cobalt, stop itching!" an awful lot.

Finally we realized we couldn't delay it any longer.  It was time to do allergy testing on Cobalt.  I was amazed that for a dog, they simply do a blood draw and then send the blood off to the lab.  Really? My arm was pricked by about 50 different needles.  I looked like I had a weird case of mumps that was isolated to one arm.  But I am grateful they could do Cobalt's with a simple blood draw.  My question is why can't they do humans like that?

We waited a couple of weeks and then the results came back.  When the allergy nurse told me what I was allergic to, she said 'Well, basically everything'.  It was kind of the same thing with Cobalt.  Our Vet told us he was allergic to 'a lot'.  The lab printed out this full report of both environmental and food allergens.  He's allergic to all kinds of grasses- and who knows what type of grass is in our yard.  Food wise, we were glad to see he does NOT have a nut allergy- since we tend to give him his pills in peanut butter!  I also make homemade peanut butter bones for the dogs which they adore.  He is however allergic to rice, sweet potatoes, yeast, and fish.  Erich used to pull off the corners of his sandwiches and give them to the dogs.  No more.  He also used to split a can of tuna fish with them.  We fed them sweet potato treats to help their joints, and even tried making our own.  Rice was our meal of choice when they had upset tummies.  So we'll have to find something else to feed them.

Along with the diagnosis comes the next part- giving shots to Cobalt. I dreaded this.  Cobalt does not like to have anything done.  One night we tried to put some ointment on him because he had scratched himself raw.  It took 15 minutes to get the ointment on him.  He has this sense that we are going to do something to him, and he takes off running.  He likes to hide in the dining room, just under the table where we can't reach him.  The layout of our house does not help.  Our dining room, living room, and kitchen kind of make a circle.  We don't have an open concept house.  The living room has two doorways- one into the kitchen and one into the dining room.  The dining room has two doorways- the one into the living room and one into the kitchen.  What we have learned in the past 11 years, is this makes a perfect racetrack for small dogs- either when they are chasing each other or when they are trying to get away from us.

Erich has handled the shots so far.  I have offered to help, but until yesterday he insisted he didn't need it.  I witnessed Cobalt and Erich engaged in staring contests.  Cobalt has amazing posture, and when he wants to, he can sit perfectly still but look like he's going to bolt at the same time.  Each day Erich told me how long it took to actually get the shot into the dog.  Only once was he able to sneak up on him while Cobalt was asleep.  Still, for two weeks, every other day, Erich has been able to handle it.  Last night, Cobalt wouldn't let him give the shot.  So we had to put it off a night (since I had already gone to bed) until tonight.

After dinner, we tried to keep Cobalt calm.  Erich drew the shot and set the needle on the table.  We each sat on couches, trying to make ourselves look comfortable so that Cobalt would join us.  This would have worked, if it weren't for Princess Onyx.  She decided tonight that her brother annoys her.  Or maybe his presence annoys her.  She gets in these moods sometimes.  It just happened to be tonight was our lucky night.  She decided he was not allowed to be in the same room as the humans.  So first she chased him off into the dining room, almost nipping at the rough of his neck as she ran him off.  Then she sat down in the living room, where he could see her, and sat perfectly erect.  She looked like a German Shepard dog on guard!  When he ran through one of the other doors to get past her, she ran him off again.  This was not conducive to keeping him calm.  Yet I have to admit, it was hilarious!

Eventually, Cobalt snuggled on the couch with me.  He stretched out on the blanket on the other end of the couch and started to relax.  Erich petted Onyx and lavished her with belly rubs so she would leave her brother alone.  When Cobalt started snoring (even though he was still awake), we opted to move in.  I approached from behind, talking in a soothing tone and petting him, while Erich went from the front.  I was able to wrap Cobalt in my arms and held him through all his squirming.  I think staying on a bucking bull for 8 seconds would be a whole lot easier than holding onto Cobalt!  Once I had a firm hold on him, Erich stuck him with the needle.  When he was done, I let go, and Cobalt went running off.  He had to get away from the people!  Onyx agreed with him, and once again chased him from the room.

Such an ordeal!  When we were done, he was given a treat.  We're hoping to establish a positive association with the shot.  "I get a shot, then I get a treat".  At least it's over.  Until Friday when we give him the next dose!