My Molly has been pretty sick. We have all been beside ourselves with worry. It's a long story but I'll try and make it short. 6 Years ago she started excessive licking to the point where she had no fur on her backside and a big bare patch on her side. The Vet told us it was a grain allergy so we changed her diet - no change - in fact over the years after trying medication, sprays, different foods - you name it we have tried it - it got to be so bad that not only was half the fur on her side gone, the skin below it was red and inflamed. We have continued to go to the vet and he kind of gave up on her.
Around Christmas she got much worse. She couldn't seem to stand straight she was yelping in pain all the time and she couldn't bring her head up when she stood. I thought we were going to have to put her down. I called the vet to make an appointment -only to be told that our Vet had left. They gave us one of the other vets and in we went.
He was appalled at how she had been able to reach the point where she was without much intervention. He wasn't blaming us, he could see by her records how many times we had brought her in. He did a few very simple tests and declared it was NOT allergy. He said something had triggered the licking and then it became such a habit that she couldn't stop.
Two things happened 6 yrs ago - I got Breast Cancer and was very sick, and our house was broken in to. I told the vet that, and he actually started to cry.
I have always thought that Molly had exceptional abilities, and the vet confirmed that by saying that some dogs are actually healers - Molly is one of those dogs - but she couldn't heal me, and she failed to protect her home, and her master so she started mutilating herself. She is that smart.
He gave us antibiotics and sent me home with instructions to have a "talk" with the dog.
So when we got home I took her in the room made her look me in the eye and I told her that it wasn't her fault that I was sick - and that she had helped me get better more than anyone or anything with her love and attention, and I also told her that it wasn't her fault that our house had been broken in to - it was our fault we had left the window open a crack. I told her that the house was now safe, and I was now healed and that she didn't have to worry about anything anymore - her job now was to get better. I told her how much we all wanted her to stop hurting herself, and that she had to do her part.
Last eve we took her back to the vet, and although she still licks a bit - it is more normal cleaning behaviour now, and the fur is starting to grow back in both places. She has not had any more pain, and the redness is all gone.... this all in 3 weeks time.
I know this sounds pretty fluky - but this is real... my dog is getting better, and she's making it happen pretty much all on her own.
What a dog I have!
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